A man from Nedrow, New York has been fined $185,000 after being convicted of possessing unmarked cigarettes for the purpose of sale.

The Ministry of Revenue's Special Investigations Branch charged Joshua Gibson after the Ontario Provincial Police stopped a van on October 1, 2007 near Cornwall, Ontario. Officers discovered 50 cases of contraband cigarettes, which were seized and later forfeited to the Province.

Gibson was found guilty of the Tobacco Tax Act charge on September 18, 2008. In addition to the fine, he must also pay a $46,250 surcharge to the Victims Justice Fund.

The Government of Ontario has many enforcement measures to discourage the sale of contraband tobacco. The Tobacco Tax Act has been strengthened with new inspection and seizure powers, new offence provisions, increased fines and civil penalties, and provisions that permit tax investigators to share intelligence information with police and other agencies that enforce tobacco-related laws. Through steps taken in four of the last five Ontario Budgets, the government has strengthened enforcement against the illegal manufacture and sale of tobacco products.

In Ontario over the past two years, approximately 58.1 million contraband cigarettes have been seized by ministry investigators and inspectors.