Two men have been arrested in what RCMP are billing as a significant seizure of contraband tobacco after they pulled over a vehicle in Deer Lake Tuesday.
A 22-year-old from Gambo and a 55-year-old from Cormack have been released to appear in court later.
As part of an ongoing investigation by the RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit based in Gander, RCMP stopped a truck which was towing a 15-foot utility trailer. Officers found 7,500 cartons of contraband tobacco, 100 cartons of illegal cigars, a small quantity of marijuana and some Canadian currency.
A carton of contraband tobacco currently sells for between $55 to $60, putting the total street value of the tobacco seized in the range of $425,000. That would represent an approximate loss to the Treasury of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador of $1.65-million.