Cornwall Island Woman Pleads Guilty In Contraband Cigarettes Case
June 2, 2009 1:03 PM
Ontario's Tough Tobacco Tax Laws At Work
Kimberly David of Cornwall Island has been fined $10,000 after being convicted of possessing unmarked cigarettes in the Ontario Court of Justice in Cornwall, on May 14.
The Ministry of Revenue's Special Investigations Branch charged David after the OPP stopped a vehicle on Highway 401 in Lancaster on April 8, 2008, and found 200,000 unmarked cigarettes. The cigarettes were seized and forfeited to the Ontario government.
David pleaded guilty to the charge under the Tobacco Tax Act. In addition to the fine, she must pay a $2,500 surcharge to the Victims' Justice Fund.
QUICK FACTS
- The Government of Ontario has many enforcement measures to discourage the sale of contraband tobacco.
- The Tobacco Tax Act has been strengthened with new inspection and seizure powers, new offence provisions, increased fines, jail provisions, civil penalties, and provisions that permit tax investigators to share intelligence information with police and other agencies that enforce tobacco-related laws.
- Additional measures strengthening tobacco tax enforcement were announced in the 2009 Budget, including an amendment to suspend the driver's licences of persons convicted of certain tobacco offences.
- The 2009 Budget announced a number of additional measures that will further strengthen tobacco tax enforcement in Ontario.
- Over the past two years, approximately 66 million contraband cigarettes have been seized in Ontario by ministry investigators and inspectors.
CONTACTS
- Public Inquiries
1 866 668-8297
- Scott Blodgett
Media Inquiries Only
416 325-0324
Ministry of Revenue
ontario.ca/revenue
ontario.ca/revenue
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