Police in Cornwall, Ont. seize hundreds of thousands of contraband tobacco products in first three months of 2025

RCMP vehicle. (Supplied)

Police in Cornwall, Ont. seized more than half a million dollars worth of contraband tobacco products in the first three months of the year.

The RCMP allege that several individuals have attempted to smuggle unstamped tobacco, cigarettes, cigars and nicotine pouches into Ontario.

During the first three months of 2025, officers with the Cornwall Regional Taskforce — made up of the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Ontario Ministry of Finance — arrested 13 people from Ontario, Quebec, and New York following seizures of unstamped tobacco and nicotine pouches.

One of the largest seizures happened on Jan. 7, when officers stopped a vehicle at the border and found 280,000 cigarettes. The driver, from Saint Regis, Que. and the passenger, from Hogansburg, N.Y., were charged.

Over the course of three months, police say they seized 633 kilograms of unstamped tobacco. In addition to the 280,000 cigarettes, officers also seized 180,380 nicotine pouches, 17,400 cigars and 1,440 ounces of chewing tobacco. Eight vehicles were also seized during the investigations.