Armstrong residents arrested after being caught with $40K in illegal tobacco

During a routine traffic stop on Saturday police found a two people from Armstrong with more than $40,000 in illegal tobacco and a prohibited weapon. Midway RCMP officers stopped a vehicle to check for a valid license and registration on Highway 3 near Rock Creek, June 1, when they found a large quantity of illegal tobacco, according to a press release from police. "In the course of the interaction the officer noticed tobacco packaging that did not bear the required tax stamp on its packaging which is required by law," the release read. The tobacco is valued at around $42,000. Officers also found the cash and a prohibited weapon. Both the driver and the passenger are from Armstrong and are facing charges under the Excise Act along with an additional charge for the weapon. READ MORE: Okanagan a hotspot for illegal tobacco. Here’s how a tobacco company wants to combat it https://infotel.ca/newsitem/okanagan-a-hotspot-for-illegal-tobacco-heres-how-a-tobacco-company-wants-to-combat-it/it104692 Police did not say whether the pair are in custody or not. “The proactive work carried out by this officer highlights the commitment our officers have to keeping our roads and communities safe,” RCMP spokesperson Cpl. James Grandy said in the release. To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas mailto:jtomas@infonews.ca  or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .