The Weyburn Police Service have removed a large quantity of unstamped, illegal tobacco from the streets of Weyburn.

On July 21st, 2021 members of the Weyburn Police Service Patrol and Criminal Investigations Unit conducted a traffic stop on a known vehicle. Inside the vehicle police located a large quantity of unstamped, illegal tobacco. Members of the WPS subsequently executed a search warrant on a residence in Weyburn, SK where another large quantity of unstamped illegal tobacco was located and seized.

"Our members have been working with an individual through Crime Stoppers," explained Police Chief Jamie Blunden. "Crime Stoppers allows members of the public to send us information, and, ultimately, because of the result of that informational tip that we got from Crime Stoppers, we were able to do an investigation, open it up, and our members from our Criminal Investigation Unit did a fantastic job in doing some legwork."

He said officers on patrol Wednesday assisted with the arrest of a 37-year-old Weyburn woman.

After the tobacco was found in her vehicle, the woman was arrested by the Weyburn Police in partnership with the Ministry of Finance Revenue Enforcement Officers. She was charged under The Tobacco Tax Act, 1998, The Excise Act, 2001, and Criminal Code of Canada. She faces fine amounts over $50,000 and up to five years in prison.

Over 55,000 cigarettes, 3,000 cigarillos, 47 tins of chewing tobacco, and a 2008 Jeep Cherokee were seized with a combined street value in excess of $31,865.

"This all would be black market once you start selling these ones, I mean they're are illegal to have, there's no tax being paid on them, and as a result you know if she was to sell them, of course, there's no taxes, being so are paid on them, and ultimately that makes it illegal," explained Blunden.

He added there are places within the province and within the country that you're allowed to have these cigarettes, but certainly not on the streets of Weyburn.

The female was released on an Appearance Notice for an October court date later this year.

Blunden noted there are two detective who shall remain unnamed who "did the majority of the heavy lifting" in this case.

"Crime Stoppers does work. I mean, ultimately, at the end of the day, we do have the ability to follow up on investigations and leads and ultimately the people that are contributing to the Crime Stoppers program will be compensated for the information we received," he said.

"If you know that there's things going on within the Community and we certainly you don't want to talk to us directly, then certainly you can do that through Crime Stoppers."