Ministry of Revenue

More Than 130,000 Illegal Cigarettes Seized

Ministry of Revenue Investigators Confirm Businesses Violated Tobacco
    Tax Act

    TORONTO, July 17 — Contraband cigarettes were seized from two
Greater Toronto Area businesses leading to possession charges against two
individuals.
    In Toronto on June 11, 2007, Cai Famei Jiang, owner of Tinfei Company, a
convenience store, was found guilty of possessing contraband cigarettes under
the Ontario Tobacco Tax Act and the federal Excise Act, 2001. Jiang was
ordered to pay fines of more than $18,000. After a routine inspection by
Health Canada, the RCMP obtained a search warrant and found Jiang to be in
possession of 109,900 unmarked cigarettes. Provincial charges were laid after
Ministry of Revenue investigators confirmed that she did not meet requirements
under the Tobacco Tax Act to possess untaxed cigarettes.
    On June 15 in Mississauga, Fidel Shannak, manager of 1528130 Ontario Inc.
operating as One Stop Convenience, pleaded guilty to possessing untaxed
cigarettes for the purpose of sale. On May 17, 2006, Ministry of Revenue
investigators obtained a search warrant for the business and seized 26,600
untaxed cigarettes. Shannak was fined $8,000 and must pay a $2,000 surcharge
to the Ontario Victims' Justice Fund. The corporation received a suspended
sentence.
    Vigorous enforcement of the Tobacco Tax Act is an important component of
the Ontario government's Smoke-Free Ontario initiative. The Government of
Ontario has many enforcement measures to discourage the sale of contraband
tobacco and has strengthened the act with new inspection and seizure powers,
new offence provisions, increased fines and civil penalties and provisions
that permit ministry investigators to share intelligence information with
police and other agencies that enforce tobacco-related laws.
    The McGuinty government is proposing to further enhance enforcement
measures by temporarily suspending tobacco sales privileges of retailers who
repeatedly contravene the Tobacco Tax Act or the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.

    

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                 For more information visit www.rev.gov.on.ca
    

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