Over 1.5 million contraband cigarettes destined for the metro region have been seized by the RCMP’s Federal Serious Organized Crime Section, in what is being called the largest illicit tobacco seizure in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador.

On September 8, police say they received information about a shipment of contraband cigarettes en route to this province from Ontario.

The cigarettes were being transported through a private courier company, and were destined for addresses in the metro region.

Following a search of that company the cigarettes were seized.

With assistance from the company and the Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP has identified several people believed to be involved.

No arrests have yet been made. However, police believe those involved are “highly organized” and have been trafficking significant amounts of contraband cigarettes for some time.

The RCMP say the product is estimated to have a value of $624,000, with a tax revenue loss to the province of $507,000. To put it into perspective, they say it would take a heavy, pack-a-day smoker 214 years to smoke all of it.