The following were convicted of offences under the Tobacco Tax Act:
| Name | Court location | Offence description and date | Date of conviction | Penalty imposed |
| Barry Paulin | Hamilton | Possession of unmarked cigarettes August 30, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | Fine $5,000 |
| Yiu Ming Yu | Hamilton | Possession of unmarked cigarettes for the purpose of sale June 15, 2023 | June 15, 2023 | Fine $9,000 |
| Khushdeep Bajwa | Cornwall | Possession of cigarette filter components without holding a registration certificate October 19, 2023 | March 5, 2024 | Fine $2,000 |
| Donald Seyler | Brantford | Possession of unmarked cigarettes July 14, 2023 | March 7, 2024 | Fine $4,202 |
| Edward Schijns | L’Orignal | Possession of unmarked cigarettes November 13, 2021 | March 7, 2024 | Fine $3,000 |
| 13624986 Canada Inc. (Sam’s Variety) | Kitchener | Possession of untaxed cigars and other tobacco for the purpose of sale April 25, 2023 | March 18, 2024 | Fine $1,188 |
| Margaret Richard | Newmarket | Possession of unmarked cigarettes and fine cut tobacco June 20, 2023 | March 22, 2024 | Fine $5,000 |
| Mario H.G Aguiar | Cayuga | Possession of unmarked cigarettes April 26, 2023 | March 22, 2024 | Fine $1,250 |
The court also imposed a victim fine surcharge for each offence as required under the Provincial Offences Act. All tobacco products were seized and forfeited.
Quick Facts:
- Cigarettes, sold in cartons or packages without Ontario’s yellow stamp are illegal, subject to certain exceptions.
- Cigarettes sold in clear plastic bags are illegal, as is engaging in the tobacco business without the required permits.
- In addition to court-imposed fines for contraventions of the Tobacco Tax Act, business and individuals may also be liable to pay civil penalties.
- Since January 2020, Ontario recorded 384 Tobacco Tax Act convictions yielding fines of more than $3.5 million, 28 jail terms, 61 probation terms, and five community service terms.
- The Ministry of Finance offers local law enforcement agencies a grant program to support tobacco investigations within their jurisdiction. Contact TEGP@ontario.ca for more information.
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