CUSTOMS RULES & CRIMINAL OFFENCES
IMPORTER BEWARE: CUSTOMS NON-COMPLIANCE CAN BE A CRIMINAL OFFENCE
Earlier this year, Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) intercepted a shipment declared to be electric fans from China. When opened, CBSA found no fans, but almost 20,000 cartons of cigarettes, with a market value of about $2.2 million. (!)
Everyone knows that smuggling millions in cigarettes into Canada is a crime. Like importing other sensitive goods (e.g., a prohibited weapon), many forms of importation can amount to criminal conduct, carrying with them potential offences under the Criminal Code. Not all customs errors or violations amount to criminal conduct, however. We explore the line between the two below.
Tagged in:
Canadian Importer
Criminal Sanctions
Customs Act
Non-Compliance
Prohibited/Restricted Goods
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