Millions of contraband cigarettes seized from facility linked to GTA organized crime

Sixteen people are facing charges and millions of contraband cigarettes have been seized after an investigation revealed an illegal tobacco manufacturing facility on Six Nations territory connected to organized crime.

Dubbed Project Cairnes, the investigation started in July 2018 and led to charges for a total of 218 offences following arrests on June 1.

Provincial police say 11.5 million contraband cigarettes with an Ontario street value of approximately $942,000 were seized, along with 1,714 pounds of cannabis (estimated street value of $2.5 million) and three hand guns.

A cocaine press, 1.14 kilograms of cocaine, 10.2 kilograms of piperidone, 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl, $236,750 in cash and seven vehicles were also confiscated. 

The tax loss associated with the cigarettes seized throughout the investigation is estimated at $3.3 million, say police.

"Project CAIRNES has focused on a criminal organization producing and trafficking contraband tobacco on an industrial scale throughout Canada," stated Det. Insp. Jim Walker with the OPP's organized crime enforcement bureau.

"While this investigation has aimed to dismantle this one particular group and their blatant disregard for the regulations surrounding tobacco, there are many operating simultaneously," he added in a media release. "These high profit operations are often utilized to fund other criminal activities, as demonstrated by vast amount charges laid including conspiracy to commit murder."

Contraband cigarettes from the facility were being trafficked to other parts of the province and country, including British Columbia, where they were being sold on the street, according to the OPP.

Provincial police noted that though the facility was on Six Nations it was not legal and the group controlling it was from the GTA.

"The residents of the Six Nations Territory have not seen any investment into their communities from the profits of this illegal operation and it has in no way benefited the community," reads the release.

Investigators say all of the parties arrested were "closely associated" with organized crime groups. Police also say they discovered drug trafficking networks that brought in large, weekly shipments of cannabis from B.C. to Ontario.

Three of the people arrested, a 64-year-old and 35-year-old from Hagersville and a 61-year-old from Ohsweken, were from the area. Police said the rest of the suspects are from different parts of the province or B.C.