RCMP say they have seized more than half a million cartons of cigarettes and 6.2 tonnes of drug precursors as part of an investigation into an alleged Asian organized crime ring that has resulted in the arrests of eight people.

The investigation began in 2009 after customs officials in Vancouver found counterfeit cigarettes in a shipping container they say were bound for Toronto, Ontario RCMP said in a release. The RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency partnered with other international agencies over the next two years to further investigate and have since seized 11 sea containers, seven in Vancouver and four in Toronto.

Authorities confiscated from the containers 583,600 cartons of cigarettes and 6,270 kilograms of phenyl-2-propanone, a key ingredient in methamphetamine and amphetamine production, officials said.

Eight people were arrested last Wednesday in connection with the alleged ring and Canada-wide arrest warrants have been issued for an additional two, said the RCMP. The suspects face a number of charges related to smuggling and conspiracy to receive and sell fake cigarettes.

Seven of the eight arrested are from Ontario — four from the Greater Toronto Area. The other person who was arrested is from Burnaby, B.C.

Warrants have been issued for two other people from British Columbia.