One man from Gilbert Plains and four from Brandon have been arrested after a major illegal tobacco seizure.
Following a six-week joint investigation involving the Manitoba Finance Taxation Special Services Investigations Unit and Brandon Police Service Major Crime Section, the arrest was made earlier this week.
On April 23, members intercepted a shipment of illicit cigarettes in the RM of Whitehead. Four days later on April 27, three vehicles and three trailers were seized and searched.
As a result, 92 cases of unmarked contraband tobacco cigarettes were seized and each case contained 10,000 cigarettes. Also seized were over 53 pounds of illicit marihuana and over $25,000 in cash.
The tobacco represented a potential tax loss of over a million dollars to the Province of Manitoba. All five men, aged 46 to 60, face numerous charges and all will appear in a Manitoba courtroom in July.
