Police pondering charges in cigar scam

By Howard Nason

It will take until at least December before the RCMP lay charges in the Oct. 9 cigar bust that netted an estimated $100,000 in counterfeit cigars.

Names of the three raided stores will not be made public until it’s decided whether they will be charged.

One of the stores thought to be under investigation is Chandra’s Cigar Shop on Sparks Street.

Asked to confirm the store’s involvement, the owner of Chandra’s replied, “So what? . . . I have no further comment.”

The raids were carried out by investigators from the RCMP, Revenue Canada, and the provincial Ministry of Finance.

“We got involved as a result of complaints from the public as well as from Havana House, who have the exclusive importation rights in Canada.

The quantity [of counterfeit cigars] being sold has increased so much that they have become problems,” says Cpl. André Tessier, the RCMP investigator in charge.

According to some, the raid was only a drop in the bucket. Ottawa is full of stores trying to pawn off fake Cuban cigars.

Rick Goodman, president of the Ottawa Cigar Society, supplier of cigars to 26 Ottawa locations, and owner of the soon-to-be-opened cigar lounge, The Cuban Connection, says counterfeits are hurting the market.

“Let’s say you’ve always dreamed of dropping $60 on a Cohiba, and you finally take the plunge, and a clown sells you a fake one, you won’t like it. You’ll never smoke again, and it’s going to ruin my business.”

Goodman takes great pain to assist consumers in spotting fake cigars, going so far as to set up a website with photos of genuine and counterfeit labels and boxes.

Counterfeit Cuban cigars are made from left-over sweepings off the factory floor, and have sub-standard taste.

But the practice is a lucrative one, and counterfeit products are getting more difficult to spot without actually smoking one.

A genuine Cohiba brand cigar retails for $63, while fakes can be found for as low as $20, according to Goodman.

“Consumers have to educate themselves,” he says. “Every single day somebody drops in to see me with the story, `Hi, I just got back from Cuba, I got a great deal on cigars…’ Most of the time I don’t even have to take them out of the bag and I tell the people they’re fake.”

Cigars must be presented in their original box. To prove their legitimacy Goodman looks for three things: A ‘duty paid’ sticker must be visible on the box, there should be a health warning sticker, and the bottom should have a large Havana House stamp on it.

Presently, the RCMP are discussing the case with Crown attorneys. If charges are laid, it will probably result in a fine for those charged.

Cpl. Tessier is hoping the first raid will discourage stores from selling counterfeit cigars.

“Hopefully they’ll get the message — the RCMP are working on it.”