5 Ottawans arrested in cross-border cigarette smuggling bust
A tobacco-smuggling ring between Canada and the U.S. has been broken up by police, leading to the arrest of nearly 40 people, five of whom are from Ottawa.
The illegal smuggling was investigated by several police departments, the Canada Border Services Agency and Ontario's Ministry of Finance.
Police seized guns, more than a dozen vehicles, boats, drugs and nearly 12,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes.
Two marijuana grow-ops were also dismantled, police said.
Five of the 37 suspects now facing charges are from Ottawa. Others are from Cornwall, Bainsville, Prescott, South Glengarry, South Stormont, Quebec and the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory.
Project O-Titan, which began in 2012, was spearheaded by the RCMP and tracked five different groups smuggling cigarettes and trafficking marijuana.
The smuggling of illegal cigarettes through Cornwall has been increasing in recent years and the RCMP has devoted more resources to curb it.
In a statement, police wrote that "the success of this investigation underscores what can be accomplished when law enforcement works co-operatively towards eliminating the threat of organized crime within our cities."
