Charges filed after businesses raided

MEMBERTOU — A plea date has now been assigned to three Membertou business owners whose operations were raided in December 2022 by compliance officers from Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services.

Officers seized a host of vaping and tobacco products from the locations and filed charges under the provincial Revenue Act.

Officers from the provincial department were assisted in their efforts in the Dec. 13 seizures by officers from the Cape Breton Regional Police.

William Paul, 32, owner of Sully’s Trading Post, is charged with selling vaping products without a vendor’s permit, selling vaping products with no tax paid, selling vaping products with no permit and possession of more than 240 ml of vaping substance contrary to the regulations.

Paul is also charged with selling tobacco with no tax paid, selling tobacco with no excise markings and selling unmarked tobacco.

Also charged is Alvin Paul

Macdonald, 51, owner of Belly Busters, who is facing the same charges as William Paul.

A third accused, Stephen Paul, 48, is charged with possession of tobacco with no tax paid, possession of tobacco with no excise markings and selling unmarked tobacco.

The three accused are scheduled to enter a plea March 27 in provincial court in Sydney.

Since April 1, 2020, flavoured vape products and ecigarettes have been banned in Nova Scotia.