Good morning, Mr. Chair, and members of the committee. First, I would like to apologize for my just-in-time arrival.
Thank you for inviting me here today to speak about Bill C-10, the tackling contraband tobacco act. As director of the RCMP federal coordination centre, I oversee the RCMP's enforcement activities with respect to contraband tobacco. Bill C-10 would create a new offence for trafficking in contraband tobacco and increase the associated penalities.
To assist the committee in its study of Bill C-10, I would like to provide you with a general overview of the current scope of the problem from the RCMP's perspective, as well as an overview of our enforcement activities.
Contraband tobacco remains a serious threat to public safety and if left unchecked, criminal organizations will continue to profit at the expense of the safety of Canadians.
Contraband tobacco has long been a standing enforcement priority for the RCMP. As the level of criminal involvement began to rise, the Minister of Public Safety launched a contraband tobacco enforcement strategy in 2008. Known as CTES, it sets out priorities for the objective of nationally reducing the availability and decreasing demand for contraband tobacco. The RCMP's CTES has had a positive and measurable impact on the contraband tobacco market in Canada. Since its inception in 2008, the RCMP has laid approximately 4,925 charges and has disrupted approximately 66 organized crime groups involved in the contraband tobacco market.
Criminal organizations are involved in the production, distribution, and trafficking of contraband tobacco and are exploiting first nations communities. Violence and intimidation tactics continue to be associated with illegal tobacco in first nations communities.
In addition to the tobacco smuggling encountered at Canada-U.S. ports of entry, extensive smuggling continues to occur in the Cornwall-Valleyfield corridor area, with the majority of activities occurring between the ports of entry, presenting unique enforcement challenges for law enforcement. In 2012, tobacco products seized while in transit involved automobiles, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and boats.
The RCMP has also seen contraband tobacco transported using postal delivery and air services.
Cornwall, Ontario is within the most active region for tobacco smuggling in Canada. Because of this, the RCMP participates in a number of joint investigative units with partner agencies. For example, in Cornwall the RCMP works with the Akwesasne Mohawk Police, the Ontario Ministry of Finance, and CBSA to combat organized crime and its involvement in contraband tobacco and other forms of criminality.
In April 2010, the RCMP established a combined special enforcement unit contraband tobacco initiative. Based in Cornwall, the unit was specifically mandated to target organized crime involved in the manufacturing and distribution of contraband tobacco, and works with its law enforcement partners.
In 2011 the government committed to addressing contraband tobacco by establishing a new RCMP Anti-Contraband Force (ACF). The RCMP is in the process of implementing the ACF and it is expected to be fully staffed and operational by the spring of 2014. The ACF will increase the RCMP's capacity to investigate organized crime and cross-border smuggling as well as target unscrupulous tobacco growers and illicit manufacturers. The ACF will also establish a dedicated outreach team to engage tobacco growers and suppliers of raw materials used in the tobacco manufacturing process.
As I have just outlined, the RCMP works with other law enforcement partners on multiple fronts to address the problem of contraband tobacco.
I would like to thank you for this opportunity, and I look forward to answering your questions.