WINNIPEG, MB – A joint effort between the Province and Winnipeg Police resulted in 810,000 illegal cigarettes being seized and a man from the RM of Rosser is facing jail time and tens of thousands in fines.
The province said they have been investigating the importation of illegal cigarettes from Ontario into Manitoba.
Members of the Manitoba Finance Taxation Special Investigations Unit and the Winnipeg Police arrested Dennis Donald Lange, a 72-year-old male from the RM of Rosser on Friday April 13th.
Lange is facing charges for trafficking in contraband tobacco, The Manitoba Tobacco Tax Act, and The Tax Administration and Miscellaneous Taxes Act for possessing non-Manitoba marked tobacco. In addition, Lange had two warrants of arrest for failure to appear in relation to outstanding previous charges.
If convicted, the individual faces fines between $10,000 and $50,000 and/or up to 12 months’ imprisonment. In addition, due to a previous conviction the suspect faces a mandatory quadruple tax penalty of $955,800.