Surrey man arrested after $7.65M worth of unstamped cigarettes seized in Alberta
A Surrey resident has been arrested in Lloydminster after RCMP officers discovered millions of dollars’ worth of unstamped cigarettes hidden inside a semi-truck trailer.
According to Lloydminster RCMP, officers conducted a traffic stop in the early morning hours of Nov. 18 on a truck travelling along 44 Street. During the stop, the driver was unable to provide the required load documents. A subsequent inspection of the trailer uncovered approximately 8.8 million unstamped cigarettes, with an estimated street value of $7.65 million.
Police seized the semi-truck, trailer, and the full tobacco load as part of the investigation.
The driver, identified as 33-year-old Gurjant Singh of Surrey, B.C., was arrested at the scene and later charged with multiple offences related to the possession and transportation of unstamped tobacco. He appeared before a Justice of the Peace and was released on conditions pending his next court appearance.
Singh is scheduled to appear in Lloydminster Provincial Court on Dec. 16.
RCMP continue to investigate the source and intended destination of the contraband load, noting that large-scale unstamped tobacco trafficking has significant ties to organized crime and tax evasion across provincial lines.
Stay updated instantly — follow us on Instagram | Facebook | X
Leave a comment