" C" Division - News Releases

Cornwall, Ontario, July 4, 2006 - On June 28th , 2006 at 00:41 a.m., members of Akwesasne Mohawk Police observed suspects from two vessels off loading cases of contraband cigarettes onto the shore of Cornwall Island in Akwesasne, Ontario. The marked police vehicle approached the scene and two vessels immediately left the scene with all suspects on board.

Located on shore were 2,500 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes worth $55,000. The illegal cigarettes were seized by the Cornwall-Valleyfield RCMP. Police are continuing the investigation and no arrests have been made.

On June 22nd, 2006 at 11:44 p.m., members of the Cornwall-Valleyfield Regional Task Force intercepted two passenger vans who were meeting at the Brookdale Mall in Cornwall, Ontario. The officers had followed one of the vans off of Cornwall Island where it then went to meet the second van. The officers searched both vans and located boxes of contraband cigarettes. The Cornwall-Valleyfield RCMP seized the illegal cigarettes and the passenger vans and arrested two male subjects.

Located in the first passenger van were 1,001 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes. Located in the second van were 1,000 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes. Dean Duggan, a 45 year old male resident of Cedarwood Drive in Ottawa, Ontario and Paul Penney, a 27 year male who resides with Duggan were arrested and charged under section 32(1) of the Excise Act 2001 (unlawful possession of a tobacco product that was not stamped in accordance with the provisions of the Excise Act 2001). Both vans are owned by Penney.

Police continue to stop out-of-town smugglers who drive directly onto the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory to load up their smuggling vehicles. Smugglers should be warned that they will have their vehicles seized and if found guilty will receive large fines or jail sentences along with a criminal record under the Excise Act 2001. They will also face charges and heavy fines under the Tobacco Tax Act.

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Sgt. Michael Harvey
(613)937-2800 Ext. 293
Cornwall-Valleyfield RCMP Detachment