Two Years’ Probation For Possession Of Illegal Tobacco Products

Joon Hwa Lee, formerly of Cobourg, was sentenced to two years’ probation and fined $39,247 for possession of marked cigarettes without the required permit, and possession of cigars and other tobacco products for the purpose of sale.

Lee was convicted of possession of 13,200 marked cigarettes, 24,480 cigars and 42,630 grams of tobacco in the Ontario Court of Justice, Provincial Offences Court, in Peterborough on August 9, 2010.

The Ministry of Revenue’s Special Investigations Branch laid the charges following an incident on March 9, 2010 in which the Ontario Provincial Police stopped a vehicle near Norwood, Ontario and discovered the tobacco products. Joon Hwa Lee must also pay a total of $8,522 in Victims’ Justice Fund surcharges.

The marked cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products were seized and forfeited to the Ontario government. The marked cigarettes constituted “tobacco in bulk” under the Tobacco Tax Act.

• Over the past two years, ending on March 31, 2010, approximately 77 million illegal cigarettes have been seized in Ontario by ministry investigators and inspectors.

• Read about amendments to the Tobacco Tax Act.
• Read about tobacco tax.
• Learn more about the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy.