Toronto Crime Stoppers has launched a public awareness campaign to highlight threats to communities posed by the sale of illegal cigarettes.

The campaign is designed to show how the purchase of illegal cigarettes is helping fund organized crime, such as illegal biker gangs and terrorist groups.

"This awareness campaign is designed to remind Ontarians that contraband tobacco is illegal for a reason: the sale of these products help fund organized crime, serving to make our communities less safe," said Sean Sportun, chair of Toronto Crime Stoppers.

According to the RCMP and other police organizations, organized crime is extensively involved in the illegal tobacco market and criminal gangs and terrorist groups are using profits from the sale of contraband tobacco to fund a number of other illegal activities.