OTTAWA, ONTARIO – The Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA) is commending the federal government for its commitment to fight illegal tobacco trafficking, following the implementation of Bill C-10.

The trafficking of illegal tobacco poses a serious threat to community safety in all regions of Canada, through its ties to organized crime, its link to drugs and illegal weapons trafficking, as well as its accessibility to youth. "The announcement that Bill C-10 has now been implemented represents a significant step forward in the ongoing fight against illegal tobacco trafficking in Canada," said Alex Scholten, president of the CCSA, in a press release.

The CCSA has been actively working with parliamentarians and police to communicate the need for tougher penalties and additional enforcement to deter illegal tobacco trafficking. The association is hopeful that the enforcement of the new law will create an effective deterent to traffickers and make them think twice before selling illegal product.

The new law marks a victory for Canada's convenience store owners, noted Scholten. “Convenience store retailers represent the front line in upholding the laws governing the sale of controlled, legal tobacco in Canada."

The CCSA will continue to advocate for additional measures to fight illegal tobacco trafficking, as well as comprehensive fine recovery to deter this criminal activity. "We have seen too many cases of fines going uncollected, and retailers believe active fine recovery would not only deter offenders, but also assist in recouping lost funds which could be put towards valuable government services," added Scholten.

"We applaud the government for implementing Bill C-10 and we will continue our dialogue with all levels of government as we look to eliminate illegal tobacco trafficking from Canadian communities."