Feds Bust Cigarette-Smuggling Operation -- High taxes are filling the pockets of the mob, not the government

[Amused]

It's beginning to look like the war on drugs and prohibition...

Feds Bust Cigarette-Smuggling Operation

WASHINGTON (Jan. 28) - In the largest crackdown of its kind, federal officials said Wednesday they had broken up a cigarette-smuggling operation in six states.

Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement said a 92-count indictment naming 19 people was unsealed in El Paso, Texas. Arrests were being made in Texas, New Mexico, New York, New Jersey, Florida and California.

Federal agents have spent more than three years investigating the smuggling operation, which they said sought to bring 5 million packs of bootleg cigarettes into the country. Authorities seized about 2.5 million packs, said to be worth about $20 million.

The indictment alleges that Jorge Abraham, 34, of Sunland Park, N.M., masterminded the plot. Distributors in Texas, California and New York bought the cigarettes and then sold them for a significant profit, according to federal officials.

''Cigarette smuggling costs the United States more than $1 billion in lost revenue every year, while pumping incredible profits into criminal organizations,'' said Michael Garcia, assistant secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a statement.

 

[NewSc2]

Good job Immigrations! Keep doing the good work in stopping all terrorists from coming into the country. That $1 billion in lost revenue went to fund Al-Qaeda I bet.

Sheesh, it's not even marijuana.

 

[notfred]

...about 2.5 million packs, said to be worth about $20 million...

Since when are cigarettes worth $8/pack?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: notfred

...about 2.5 million packs, said to be worth about $20 million...

Since when are cigarettes worth $8/pack?

Aren't they that much in NYC now?

They ALWAYS inflate the prices on this stuff when they make drug busts to make them feel like they have bigger dicks.

 

[gistech1978]

so when are we going to see some "the truth" ads about how buying cigarettes supports 'terrar'ists?

 

[Amused]

bump...

 

[tweakmm]

I'd rather the federalies spend time on this rather than the good stuff:beer:

 

[Pepsei]

The problem is the differences in cigarette taxes. I could make a killing driving to NY from Virginia with a truck full of cigarettes. But I'm not ready to join the mobs yet.

Perhaps if they set the taxes to be the same... maybe the problem will go away.

 

[dafatha00]

Cigarettes from Mexico are nasty tasting. I bought a pack from TJs for $2 bucks a few years back and they were pretty foul.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
The problem is the differences in cigarette taxes. I could make a killing driving to NY from Virginia with a truck full of cigarettes. But I'm not ready to join the mobs yet.

Perhaps if they set the taxes to be the same... maybe the problem will go away.

Um, these are smuggled in from outside the country. It's not interstate smuggling, it's international smuggling... the same as most drugs.

The fact is, just the federal taxes alone are too high. It's time to face the fact that high taxes on tobacco will have the same effect as a ban: It will only enrich criminals and create a massive crime wave just as the war on drugs has, and prohibition did.

 

[Amused]

I'm amazed more people aren't interested in these stories. Where are all the people who support huge taxes and/or bans?

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: gistech1978
so when are we going to see some "the truth" ads about how buying cigarettes supports 'terrar'ists?

well, i don't know if this made national news, but a few Hezbollah members were arrested and deported for smuggling cigarettes from NC to other states. Big news here in Charlotte.

 

[Kadarin]

Basic economics will tell you that when the price of some product is kept artificially high, the potential for a black market exists. No surprises here.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
Basic economics will tell you that when the price of some product is kept artificially high, the potential for a black market exists. No surprises here.

But for some reason, the taxers and banners refuse to believe this. If you posit that the high taxes or bans will create black markets and crime waves now associated with the war on drugs and prohibition, they will deny it with everything they've got.

 

[Martin]

Why do people smuggle when natives sell for so much less? Here you can buy native cigs really cheap. ~$23 for 200 singles ($27 if you want proper packs and such), while a small 20cig pack of regular cigs costs ~$7.00

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Why do people smuggle when natives sell for so much less? Here you can buy native cigs really cheap. ~$23 for 200 singles ($27 if you want proper packs and such), while a small 20cig pack of regular cigs costs ~$7.00

Because high local cigarette taxes prey on the stupid and the desperate (usually the poor).

If you need a cigarette NOW, you'll run out and pay the premium. If you're poor and don't have access to the web, you'll pay the premium. If you're ignorant and don't know about online shops, you'll pay the premium. (BTW, Yesmoke.com has name brands for $15... why pay $23 for no-names or $27 for brand names?)

 

[datalink7]

Originally posted by: dafatha00
Cigarettes are nasty tasting.

Edited for clarity

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Why do people smuggle when natives sell for so much less? Here you can buy native cigs really cheap. ~$23 for 200 singles ($27 if you want proper packs and such), while a small 20cig pack of regular cigs costs ~$7.00

Because high local cigarette taxes prey on the stupid and the desperate (usually the poor).

If you need a cigarette NOW, you'll run out and pay the premium. If you're poor and don't have access to the web, you'll pay the premium. If you're ignorant and don't know about online shops, you'll pay the premium. (BTW, Yesmoke.com has name brands for $15... why pay $23 for no-names or $27 for brand names?)

Because as a non-smoker, I have never bothered to look for cheap cigs. (also, that's $23CAD)

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Why do people smuggle when natives sell for so much less? Here you can buy native cigs really cheap. ~$23 for 200 singles ($27 if you want proper packs and such), while a small 20cig pack of regular cigs costs ~$7.00

Because high local cigarette taxes prey on the stupid and the desperate (usually the poor).

If you need a cigarette NOW, you'll run out and pay the premium. If you're poor and don't have access to the web, you'll pay the premium. If you're ignorant and don't know about online shops, you'll pay the premium. (BTW, Yesmoke.com has name brands for $15... why pay $23 for no-names or $27 for brand names?)

Because as a non-smoker, I have never bothered to look for cheap cigs. (also, that's $23CAD)

I haven't been a smoker in years. Some of the GF's family smokes, however... so I know the best places to get them. (They aren't very internet savvy)