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Quebec plans stiffer penalties for illegal tobacco 

The Quebec government plans to crack down hard on tobacco smuggling, taking aim at organized crime, as well as the consumers who buy illegal cigarettes and the distributors who sell them.

A bill tabled yesterday proposes stiffer fines and tougher penalties for illegal retailers and manufacturers, and would extend the measures to their customers as well.

The bill would also give local police jurisdiction to stop the sale of illegal tobacco products and allow municipalities to keep all the proceeds confiscated during arrests that eventually lead to convictions.

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