Contraband tobacco products found in a southeast Calgary storage facility in July 2021. (Supplied/AGLC)

By Sheldon Spackman

December 2022

Red Deer man charged in major contraband bust going to trial

Apr 14, 2022 | 1:20 PM

A Red Deer man charged in what Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) described as one of the province’s largest ever tobacco busts, is going to trial later this year.

Ali Abdulhseen Al-Hameedawi, 45, of Red Deer, and Husham Bahjat Hakeem, 38, of Calgary, are scheduled for trial in Calgary provincial court from Dec. 12-19, 2022.

Each were charged with trafficking in contraband tobacco, and fraud over $5000 following an investigation by AGLC last year which led to the seizure of an estimated $4.5 million of contraband tobacco.

The agency says the seizure represents one of the largest in Alberta history and more than $2.5 million in lost tax revenue.

Calgary Police and the RCMP discovered the contraband during a search of a storage facility in southeast Calgary.

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AGLC advises that contraband tobacco:

• is any tobacco product that does not comply with federal and provincial laws related to importation, marking, manufacturing, stamping and payment of duties and taxes;
• comes from four main sources: illegal manufacturers, counterfeits, tax-exempt diversions and resale of stolen legal tobacco; and
• can be recognized by the absence of a red (Alberta) or peach/light tan (Canada) stamp bearing the “DUTY PAID CANADA DROIT ACQUITTÉ” on packages of cigarettes and cigars or pouches of tobacco.
  Contraband tobacco products found in a southeast Calgary storage facility in July 2021. (Supplied/AGLC)

“In addition to lost revenues that may otherwise benefit Albertans, illegally manufactured products also pose public health and safety risks as they lack regulatory controls and inspections oversight,” AGLC noted in a July 29, 2021 release.

“All wholesalers and importers of tobacco into Alberta must be licensed to sell or import tobacco for resale. Furthermore, all tobacco products must be labelled according to federal and provincial regulations. Albertans who suspect illegal tobacco production, packaging and/or trafficking are encouraged to contact AGLC’s Tobacco Enforcement Unit at 1-800-577-2522.”

According to AGLC, in 2020-21, provincial revenue from tobacco taxes was approximately $755 million.