Burnaby, British Columbia
On September 15, Border Services Officers at the Burnaby Container Examination Facility examined a shipment from China declared as electric fans. The container was referred for examination based upon intelligence shared with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) by our law enforcement partners in the United States and China.
During the exam, the container was found to contain 216 boxes packed with 19,982 cartons of cigarettes. The value of the almost 4 million individual cigarettes that were seized is $2,205,613.16, and the amount of duties and taxes evaded is assessed at $2,499,348.56.
In addition to damaging the Canadian economy, profits from illegal tobacco trade often help finance other organized crime activities, such as human trafficking, firearms and drug smuggling. All offenders are liable to sanctions and legal proceedings.
The CBSA is committed to protecting Canadians by intercepting and investigating smuggling attempts at our borders and disrupting organized crime.
