Contraband cigarettes impacting tax dollars [Video]

Illegal cigarettes in Manitoba are taking a big chunk out of the market.

A new report estimates 45 per cent of tobacco sales in the province are contraband, which is costing taxpayers around $60 million a year.

According to several people CTV News spoke with on Winnipeg streets Wednesday, cost is a major factor. A regular pack can cost $20 or more, while some people say they can find cigarettes for as little as $5.

Winnipeg Crime Stoppers Board Chair Robert MacKenzie said odds are those smokes are illegal and are widely available.

“A lot of these cigarettes coming in are counterfeit cigarettes, and they look exactly like a real pack of cigarettes,” said MacKenzie.

According to the report, it appears the trend of contraband cigarettes has been a problem for some time.

Between 2019 and 2023, the report said the legal sale of cigarettes has fallen by more than 33 per cent.

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