WINDSOR, ON, March 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Windsor Detachment have arrested and charged a Windsor man for allegedly supplying Windsor area convenience stores with illegal, unstamped, tobacco products. At the time of the arrest, the RCMP seized approximately 80,000 cigarettes and the man's vehicle.
Police launched their investigation after receiving information that the man was responsible for supplying numerous convenience stores in Windsor with unstamped tobacco products. On March 21, at approximately 9:45 pm, police arrested the man in the area of Langlois Avenue between the North Service Road and Grand Marais Road. At the time of the arrest the man was transporting ten large cardboard boxes containing approximately 80,000 cigarettes. In addition to seizing the cigarettes, the man's vehicle was seized as a conveyance under the Excise Act.
Abdul Salam AL GHIZI (Age 45) of Windsor is currently charged under the Excise Act in relation to the possession and sale of unstamped tobacco. Al GHIZI is scheduled to appear in Windsor Provincial Court on April 24th, 2012. If convicted AL GHIZI could face fines in excess of $95,000.00. AL GHIZI is currently before the courts for a similar offence after being stopped by the Chatham-Kent Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in October of 2010 on the 401 with 600 cartons of unstamped tobacco in his vehicle.
"The sale of illegal tobacco is not a victim-less crime" said Inspector Alex Mills, Officer in Charge of Windsor Detachment. "The profits from this illegal activity often benefit criminal organizations who use these profits to fund other illicit activities which affect the safety and security of our communities".
For additional information on the harm that illegal tobacco products impose on our society and tips on how you can identify illegal tobacco please visit: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/pubs/tobac-tabac/tobacco-tabac-broch-eng.htm
If you have information about the sale and distribution of illegal tobacco products please contact your nearest RCMP Detachment at 1-800-387-0020 or you can anonymously supply information through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Sgt Steven Richardson
Windsor RCMP Detachment
519-972-9595 ext 249
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