Burnaby RCMP says its gang enforcement team seized $100,000 in cash and suspected illicit cigarettes after an August traffic stop developed into a proceeds-of-crime investigation.
The detachment described the seizure in a November 4 social-media post. The stop itself took place on August 2, 2026—not on the day the photographs and account were published. [1]
What police say happened
According to Burnaby RCMP, officers stopped a vehicle for a Motor Vehicle Act infraction. While speaking with the occupants, they noticed cigarettes and packaging they described as illicit and began investigating.
Police say the driver, a 41-year-old man, and his passenger, a 38-year-old man, were arrested for possession of illicit cigarettes. A search of the vehicle uncovered a bag containing $100,000 and additional cigarettes, according to the detachment. Officers seized both the cash and the cigarettes. [1]
The men were subsequently released with conditions while the investigation continued, police said. The post did not identify either man or explain the release conditions.
No charges reported as of November 4
CTV News reporter Lisa Steacy reported on November 4 that no charges had been laid, attributing that information to police. The RCMP Facebook post itself described arrests and an ongoing investigation but did not announce charges. [2]
Evidence distinction: These are police allegations about an ongoing investigation, not findings of guilt. The seizure does not, by itself, establish that the money was criminal proceeds or that it has been permanently forfeited.
What has not been disclosed
The police post does not specify the traffic infraction, the exact location of the stop, the quantity of cigarettes seized or the grounds on which the tobacco was classified as illicit. It also does not identify a court case, a forfeiture order or a judge.
The involvement of the Burnaby Gang Enforcement Team is not, on its own, evidence that either man belongs to a gang. Neither the police post nor the CTV report reviewed for this article identifies a gang affiliation.
The $100,000 figure refers to the cash police say they seized—not an estimated value of the cigarettes. Any later charging decision, court proceeding or disposition of the money would be a separate development.
Sources and reporting notes
- Burnaby RCMP: official November 4 post — 2026-11-04.
- CTV News: $100K in cash seized after B.C. traffic stop: RCMP — 2026-11-04.
NewsForBC reviewed the public police post and CTV’s report. We have not independently examined the seized items, police file or a court record, and conducted no interviews for this article. Public comments are not used as evidence. The masthead is site branding, not incident photography.
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