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Philip Morris sues N.Y., N.J. retailers 

The Henrico County-based cigarette-maker has monitored retail markets for years to keep fake versions of its brands off store shelves.

This year, Philip Morris has sued 27 stores in New York and New Jersey, which are hotspots for the fakes because of high state taxes, a huge port through which the contraband is easily shipped, and criminal organizations that wholesale the counterfeits.

For Philip Morris, the stakes are simple. In addition to the lost sales, the company doesn't want smokers buying a pack of Marlboros and thinking they don't taste the same, said company spokesman David Sutton. . . .

"The sale of untaxed cigarettes harms legitimate wholesale and retail businesses and costs New York and New Jersey needed tax revenues that could be used to support essential public services," he said.

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