(Image Credit: Alberta RCMP/Crime Stoppers)

By Josh Hall

50th anniversary

Alberta RCMP and and Crime Stoppers launch ‘Anti-Illicit Tobacco Campaign’

Jan 27, 2026 | 9:28 PM

To mark the 50th anniversary of Crime Stoppers, the organization and Alberta RCMP are launching the Anti-Illicit Tobacco Campaign.

The focus of the campaign is to curb the sales of illegal tobacco.

In 2012, there were only 12 charges laid in relation to possession or distribution of illicit tobacco.

In 2025, there were nearly 150.

“People might think that it isn’t that big of a deal, that it’s just a few cheap cigarettes here or there, that it doesn’t hurt anyone,” said Chief Superintendent Gary Graham, Officer in Charge of Alberta RCMP Community and Safety and Well-being.

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“What they don’t realize is that these products are frequently part of larger operations. The money that comes from the sale of these illegal cigarettes goes directly to the pockets of large-scale organized criminal enterprises who use that money to fund their other crimes.”

In the past five years, the AGLC notes, they’ve experienced a drop of $500 million in tobacco tax revenue, which they largely blame on the rise in contraband tobacco activities.

“Illicit tobacco is often misunderstood as a low-level issue, but it is frequently linked to organized crime and broader community harm,” said Vivianna Botticelli, interim board chair of Alberta Crime Stoppers.

“This campaign is about helping Albertans understand that the price tag isn’t the real cost — and reminding the public that Crime Stoppers provides a safe, anonymous way to report suspicious activity they may see in their communities.”

For more information about Crime Stoppers, the programs they offer, and how to become a crime stopper community, please visit www.crimestoppers.ab.ca/.