Drugs, contraband cigarettes found in Alta. Chinese restaurant and pawn shop: RCMP

Fu Lum Chinese Restaurant and Wild West Exchange in St. Paul, Alta. (Source: Google)

A Chinese restaurant has been charged with selling contraband cigarettes and a pawn shop employee is accused of selling drugs, following a pair of raids northeast of Edmonton.

RCMP in the town of St. Paul, Alta. executed search warrants inside Fu Lum Chinese Restaurant and Wild West Exchange on Wednesday.

In total, police allege officers seized 62 illegal cartons of contraband tobacco, 162 grams of cannabis and 66 grams of Psilocybin Mushrooms.

The restaurant has been charged under the Tobacco Tax Act after 2,347 contraband cigarettes were seized totalling a provincial tax avoidance of $645, RCMP said.

More than 8,000 contraband cigarettes and 1,940 contraband cigars were seized at the pawn shop across the street, police said, totalling tax avoidance of more than $4,500.

An employee at the pawn shop has been charged with:

• Illegal sale of tobacco;
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking drugs;
• Possession of illicit cannabis;
• Distribute illicit cannabis;
• Possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling;
• Distribute over 30 grams of cannabis.

“This was a great team effort by all involved in this investigation” said RCMP Cpl. Stephen Cunningham.

“Contraband tobacco takes revenue away from legitimate businesses and also tax revenue. When you buy contraband tobacco, you have no idea where it is manufactured or what they may contain.”

Investigators with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Enforcement Unit (AGLC) were also involved in the search and seizure.

Police did not name any of the people accused.

St. Paul is about 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.