Holy smokes: Highway Patrol seizes almost two million unstamped cigarettes

Wildfire smoke has been causing concerns around Saskatchewan recently, but police are often focused on a different kind of smoke.

The Saskatchewan Highway Patrol seized 1.9 million unstamped cigarettes last Thursday during a commercial vehicle inspection. According to the provincial government, that many smokes adds up to about $1.1 million on the illegal market.

The illicit tobacco came to light after a Highway Patrol officer pulled over a commercial truck on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Indian Head. During the inspection, the officer searched the vehicle’s trailer and found six pallets of illicit darts on board.

The driver of the truck was taken into custody, and the cigarettes, truck and trailer were seized.

The file was passed on to the Indian Head RCMP, the provincial government noted, and the driver has since been hit with several charges.

“The Saskatchewan Highway Patrol is steadfast in its commitment to keeping the roadways in Saskatchewan safe,” Highway Patrol Insp. Alex Heron said in a statement.

“I am extremely proud of the work all our officers do on a daily basis to prevent our roads from being used for criminal activity that will negatively impact Saskatchewan communities.”