The Tuktoyaktuk RCMP have charged a 59-year-old man following a bootlegging investigation that resulted in the seizure of over 12 litres of vodka on April 9 and 10, 2026. The enforcement action in the remote Northwest Territories community led to the confiscation of approximately 24 bottles of alcohol, much of which police believe had already been distributed for sale.
The amount of alcohol seized significantly exceeds the legal possession limit for the community. Under local regulations, no individual is permitted to possess more than 2.28 litres of spirits within a 25-kilometre radius of the hamlet office.
The accused man has been issued summary offence tickets for keeping liquor for sale and possessing alcohol in violation of local restrictions. He is set to appear in court to address these charges on June 2, 2026.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of illegal alcohol transport into the Inuvialuit community, which is home to between 900 and 1,000 residents. Previous police investigations have tracked bootlegging operations where alcohol is purchased in bulk in Dawson City, Yukon, and transported to the hamlet. Similar enforcement actions have occurred in recent months, including a seizure of 31.5 litres of vodka in November 2025.
