Record $10M cigarette bust made in B.C.

RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency made the largest cigarette bust in B.C. history when cheaply made cigarettes from China, with an estimated value of $10 million, were seized earlier this month.

Investigators say seven men were caught on Nov. 1 unloading the shipment in Richmond, which included counterfeit cigarettes that mimicked well-known brands such as Marlboro and du Maurier.

Const. Michael McLaughlin said the contraband cigarettes were made with little or no quality control and posed a higher health risk to smokers.

Investigators believe a criminal organization with ties to China is believed to be behind the seizure along with two others, said McLaughlin on Tuesday morning.

"The same organized crime group responsible for the previous record shipment is responsible for this shipment we're announcing today. Furthermore, the same group is behind last week's seizure in Richmond that was also a multimillion-dollar seizure," said McLaughlin.

Six of seven men arrested are Chinese citizens in Canada on temporary visas, and the seventh is from Burnaby, he said. The suspects have been released from custody and police are recommending smuggling related charges.