Bringing cigarettes to Manitoba costs man $11,200

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This article was published 30/05/2014 (3986 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The third person this spring to plead guilty in Steinbach court to bringing in cigarettes from Ontario was given the minimum sentence Thursday: a $1,000 fine and $10,200 for a triple tax penalty.

Marlo Resch, 47, had the 68 cartons in his trunk seized. RCMP pulled him over in the RM of Reynolds after receiving a tip that he was bringing the 13,600 cigarettes across the provincial border. The previous convictions this spring also involved tips to police about Manitobans crossing into Ontario to buy cigarettes.

The single father said he was making the purchase for himself, family, and friends. He also told the court he had no idea the punishment was so severe. The judge said it was a cautionary tale for anyone considering doing the same.

Manitoba’s Tobacco Tax Act limits the amount of tobacco not marked for sale in Manitoba from another province or country to one carton of cigarettes, 200 grams of fine cut tobacco, and 50 cigars or cigarillos.