Tobacco fight is just beginning

Millions of dollars are “going up in smoke” and its officials, the government put out the problem, says a spokesperson for the national group fighting contraband cigarettes.

Gary Grant of the National Coalition of Anti-Smuggling of tobacco made a brief stop in Belleville, to discuss the ongoing problem of illegal sale of tobacco products. The stop was one of the few in Ontario by what Grant called “contraband trail” – the community, which is considered a matter of serious concern.

“During the last election campaign – a federal campaign – the Conservatives have promised if they were re-elected, they bring in tougher laws against the smuggling of tobacco smugglers,” said Grant. “They also said they would dedicate 50 additional RCMP officers and dedicate them to the execution of contraband tobacco.

“We ask them to fulfill this promise.”

It’s not just the federal government, which may help in the fight, he said. Grant just before the last provincial election, the Liberals adopted a new law that gives both the provincial and municipal law enforcement agencies more power to deal with smuggling. Forces can now take advantage of contraband cigarettes and take it to his station, without waiting for the RCMP officer or official Canadian Revenue Agency to help. However, the investigation is conducted by one of two senior officials.

This must change, said Grant.

“We assumed that they take him at least for now … where it is possible not only to the provincial or municipal police officers to stop and seize it, they really investigate and lay charges themselves,” he said.
While the coalition has established the Canadian Association of Convenience Stores and are now including in its membership the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and other groups, labor and industry, asking for more, “coordinates” approach to the issue, Grant acknowledges the problem also needs to attack the smaller scale, by informing people who buy illegal cigarettes, the impact they have on their communities. According to him, acknowledged that the cheaper cigarettes, appealing to people’s wallets, but the money that they save only hurts them in the long run.

“There should be more public. Many people think that is a crime without victims. One of the biggest victims of Canadian taxpayers,” he said. “I would like smokers to pay taxes, and I would like to see that money instead into the pockets of criminals, the government goes to the treasury, where they could spend it on health, infrastructure, law enforcement …”