Some of the 4.3 million in contraband cigarettes seized by authorities in New Brunswick over May and June, 2026. Officers from various police agencies intercepted more than 4.3 million illicit cigarettes in three major investigations during a four-week period in May and June, officials said Wednesday. The department's Inspection and Enforcement Branch worked with other agencies and jurisdictions to arrest four people involved with the contraband cigarettes, authorities said. They are facing various charges under the federal Criminal Code, the Excise Act and the Tobacco Tax Act. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Eli RidderOver a decade ago, then-premier Brian Gallant's Liberal government created a dedicated contraband enforcement unit within the public safety department.