People buying cheap cigarettes on the Tyendinaga Territory and on other territories may not realize it but their money will eventually mostly benefit organized crime gangs also involved in the trafficking of illegal drugs and firearms.
That’s the position of the National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco.
And Ron Bell, Law Enforcement Advisor for the Coalition, says the Ontario government alone is losing over $750 million in tax revenue which could be invested in health care and education.
Bell says Ontario should follow Quebec’s lead of a few years ago when it hired 50 police officers to concentrate on lessening the supply of illegal tobacco leaving First Nations territories.
“They quickly realized that there’s not much point in making illegal tobacco when they have nobody that’s going to buy it because as soon as it leaves our community they’re (buyers) getting arrested and the tobacco seized.”
After the concentrated effort combatting contraband tobacco the Quebec government saw its revenues increase around $200 million.
Bell also says not only is cheap tobacco’s quality suspect because manufacturing facilities aren’t inspected, but cheap tobacco is responsible for boosting demand for tobacco among young people leading to ever increasing health care costs down the line.
Bell is meeting virtually today (Thursday) with local politicians and business people.
The National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco is funded by three major tobacco companies, some Crime Stoppers organizations, and small business and convenience store associations.
