Royal Canadian Mounted Police
www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
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2010 Contraband Tobacco Statistics
- In 2010, the RCMP seized approximately 782,000 cartons/unmarked bags of illegal cigarettes Canada-wide, representing a 20% decrease over the 2009 seizures of 975,000.
- There was an increase in the 2010 RCMP seizures of fine cut tobacco and raw leaf tobacco; seized in 2010 were approximately 43,000 kilograms of fine cut tobacco, representing a 26% increase from the 2009 seizures of 34,000 kilograms, and 5,300 kilograms of raw leaf tobacco, representing a large increase from the 2009 seizures of 10 kilograms.
- In addition to the cigarette seizures in 2010, the RCMP also seized approximately 142,000 illegal cigars, representing a 451% decrease from the 2009 seizures of 783,000.
RCMP Cigarette Seizures: 1994 to 2010
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| Year | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartons | 456,300 | 437,700 | 356,600 | 222,220 | 158,300 | 115,000 | 36,100 | 29,000 |
| Year | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartons | 39,800 | 59,300 | 120,000 | 369,100 | 472,300 | 626,000 | 965,000 | 975,000 | 782,000 |
RCMP Fine-Cut Tobacco Seizures: 1994 to 2010
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| Year | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilograms | 36,000 | 36,000 | 62,000 | 20,000 | 6,000 | 24,000 | 16,000 | 2,000 |
| Year | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilograms | 5,000 | 8,000 | 11,000 | 14,000 | 4,000 | 28,000 | 70,000 | 34,000 | 43,000 |
Today, the illicit tobacco trade is primarily comprised of:
- Cigarettes/tobacco products manufactured in the U.S. and smuggled into Canada.
- Illicitly produced cigarettes/tobacco products manufactured in Canada.
- Counterfeit tobacco products involving domestic and foreign brands making their way into the country via sea container (mostly from China).
- Diverted products that are destined for sale on reserves and end up being sold elsewhere in Canada. These products are legally manufactured but provincial taxes have not been collected. This scheme also allows the seller to discount the product, which makes it appealing to consumers.
- Illicit sales via the internet (including illegally manufactured/counterfeited tobacco products and products on which duties or taxes are not paid).
