http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/crime.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.1010wins.com/NY-Tribe-Says-Cigarette-Mailing-Ban-Threatens-Jobs/6598220 http://tobacco.org/news/298687.html A vote by Congress to keep cigarettes out of the mail was a "sucker punch" to treaty rights, the president of the New York tribe that dominates the now-threatened mail-order market said Wednesday. The House passed the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking, or PACT, Act with a 387-25 vote less than a week after the U.S. Senate approved it by unanimous consent. It now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. Supporters say it will make it harder for kids to light up and stop smokers from dodging state taxes. But Indian leaders see it as an attempt by the government to gain control over tribes and their economies. "This is a sucker punch to our federal treaty rights," Seneca Nation President Barry Snyder Sr. said. "This is a direct assault on our economy and our people. And it will have a devastating ripple effect on the Western New York economy." 1010 WINS Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=8529 http://tobacco.org/news/298677.html Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee and Watsonville Police Chief Manny Solano said Tuesday that charges may be filed against Khalil Rahim, the business owner allegedly found to be selling illegal knives, brass knuckles and drug paraphernalia out of three discount cigarette stores in Watsonville. On Monday, Watsonville police conducted raids on three stores -- Cigarette City at 1441 Freedom Blvd. and Discount Cigarettes at 218 Freedom Blvd. and 1938 Main St. -- that were reportedly selling brass knuckles and switchblade, butterfly and spring-loaded buck knives and other similar illegal weapons. Police also confiscated glass pipes used for smoking cocaine and methamphetamine. All three stores were owned by Rahim's family. Solano said Monday that charges would probably not be filed against Rahim because he was fully cooperative and voluntarily gave up $2,500 in merchandise. However, Lee met with Solano Tuesday morning and charges will likely be filed. Watsonville Register-Pajaronian Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=8525&page=77 http://tobacco.org/news/298676.html Store owner Khalil Rahim will surely get his. And I'm bettin' his stores will soon close for good. But a cigarette smoker is far more likely to die from smoking than from being stabbed or bludgeoned to death by brass knuckles. In fact, smoking kills more people in the United States every year than AIDS, illegal drugs, alcohol, car crashes, suicides and murders combined! (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) According to a 2008 survey by the Santa Cruz County Tobacco Education Coalition, a group dedicated to reducing tobacco sales to minors, underage youth can expect to be successful buying cigarettes in one out of every six local stores. Any 16-year-old kid who is carded and turned away by a responsible retailer won't have far to go to find an irresponsible one sympathetic to his wants. . . . The environment in Rahim's cigarette shops is one youth could relate to. One with pop culture posters, candy, soda pop, chips, marijuana stuff, imitation guns, forbidden toys ... and forbidden cigarettes. Youth are drawn to the sweet and forbidden. To address the concern of sales to youth, the coalition proposes an ordinance, successfully implemented in more than 60 California counties and cities, that has dramatically reduced the number of stores willing to sell cigarettes to minors. It requires sellers to be licensed. The Tobacco Retail License fees would provide resources for sting operations -- like the ones recently visited upon Mr. Rahim's stores. Violators would face fines and suspension or revocation of their licenses. The Santa Cruz County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission unanimously passed a resolution in July urging the board of supervisors to adopt such an ordinance. This month, in support of the coalition's current effort to recruit a supervisor to sponsor the ordinance, the commission unanimously reaffirmed its July resolution. It's time the County of Santa Cruz took action to protect youth from clever tobacco marketers and irresponsible retailers. Watsonville Register-Pajaronian Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2010/03/17/senate-resolution-to-congress-pass-ban-on-cigarette-mail-shipments/ http://tobacco.org/news/298666.html The state Senate yesterday passed a resolution that supports an attempt in Congress to ban the post office from shipping cigarettes, which senators said would close a loophole to allow cigarette sales on Native American reservations to be taxed. . . . Here's the resolution: All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT) WHEREAS, The systematic non-enforcement of New York tax laws has fueled a national and international criminal trade in untaxed cigarettes; the most damaging example is the State's current non-enforcement policy on the taxation of cigarette sales by Native American reservation-based sellers to non-tribal customers; and . . . RESOLVED, That the New York State Congressional delegation be and hereby is respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to enact the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT); and be it further Politics on the Hudson Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/Script/DisplayPressRelease.php3?Display=1200 http://tobacco.org/news/298665.html Voting 387 to 25, the U.S. House of Representatives today gave final congressional approval to the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act, legislation to curtail the growing sales of tax-evading, low-cost cigarettes and other tobacco products over the Internet and through the mail. Passage of this legislation is a milestone in the fight to keep kids from smoking and prevent tax evasion that costs state and federal taxpayers billions each year. We applaud Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), the chief House sponsor, and Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), the Senate sponsor, for their leadership and persistence in pursuing this legislation and winning its approval. The Senate unanimously approved the bill on March 11. We look forward to President Obama continuing his strong leadership on tobacco control by signing the PACT Act into law. Internet sales of tobacco products are a serious and growing problem that keeps prices down and smoking levels up. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/03/17/990680/house-vote-sends-cigarette-mailing.html http://tobacco.org/news/298664.html WASHINGTON -- Congress on Wednesday sent President Obama a bill that bans the mailing of cigarettes, a measure that would bring the full weight of the federal government down on the Seneca Nation's huge tax-free tobacco trade that New York State has been fighting for years. The House, in a 387-25 vote, sent Obama a measure the Senate had approved six days earlier. The president is expected to sign it shortly, and it would take effect 90 days later. "This new law will give states and localities a major revenue boost by cracking down on the illegal sale of tobacco," said Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-Queens, the bill's chief sponsor. "Every day we delay is another day that New York loses significant amounts of tax revenue and kids have easy access to tobacco products sold over the Internet." The Senecas said they would do whatever they could to prevent the law from devastating the nation's tobacco entrepreneurs and the 1,000 or more people who work for them. Buffalo News jzremski@buffnews.com (Jerry Zremski News Washington Bureau Chief) Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coalition-to-stop-contraband-tobacco-applauds-house-for-passage-of-the-prevent-all-cigarette-trafficking-act-of-2009-88264807.html http://tobacco.org/news/298663.html The Coalition to Stop Contraband Tobacco today praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing S. 1147, the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act of 2009. Sponsored in the House by Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY), this legislation will help combat online cigarette sales that have robbed hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues from the states and that undermine state laws that prevent youth access to tobacco products. The PACT Act will now go to President Obama's desk for his signature. "In passing the PACT Act, Congress has made a definitive statement about its commitment to help eliminate underage access to tobacco on the Internet, curtail associated illegal activities and capture lost state excise tax revenues," said Scott Ramminger, AWMA president and CEO and coalition spokesperson. "We applaud the House of Representatives for its action today and thank Congressman Weiner for his leadership in combating contraband tobacco sales." PR Newswire Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ihRBqQOSdKR-8ub7K-SOVcRlo8JwD9EGK3P00 http://tobacco.org/news/298662.html Congress has moved to stamp out a multibillion-dollar tobacco trafficking industry that has enriched criminals and terrorists and made it easier for kids to buy cigarettes online. A bill cracking down on smugglers cleared the House Wednesday and went to President Barack Obama for his signature. The measure could restore significant amounts of revenue lost to states because cigarette taxes are not being paid. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., said New York alone loses as much as $1 billion a year from cigarette tax evasion. Weiner sponsored the measure with Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. The legislation, approved on a 387-25 vote, would prohibit cigarette shipments through the U.S. Postal Service, cutting off the main source of transport for Internet vendors selling contraband tobacco products. UPS, DHL and FedEx already have agreements with the New York Attorney General not to ship cigarettes nationwide. AP Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://vietnamnews.vnanet.vn/Politics-Laws/Law-Justice/197730/Capital-police-seize-smuggled-tobacco.html http://tobacco.org/news/298653.html Capital police on Tuesday seized more than 18,000 smuggled packets of cigarettes that had been stored and sold by an individual in Nguyen Sieu Street in Ha Noi. Nguyen Thi Thoa, 45, was found to have sold 5,800 smuggled packets of cigarettes at her shop Vietnam News Agency vnnews@vnagency.com.vn Vietnam Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.belta.by/en/news/econom?id=503478 http://tobacco.org/news/298645.html The State Customs Committee (SCC) of Belarus and the Imperial Tobacco Ltd company are set to sign a memorandum of understanding in Minsk on 17 March, BelTA learnt from the SCC press service. The document creates framework for cooperation between the SCC and the Imperial Tobacco Ltd in order to strengthen the control over smuggling and illegal trade in tobacco products, including the prevention of trans-border trade in counterfeit tobacco products in Belarus. The SCC keeps signing memorandums of understanding with major producers. A reminder, the SCC signed the similar memorandum with the JT International S.A. company on 18 December 2008. The intensification of smuggling and bootlegging is a matter of serious concern both for the customs agencies and tobacco producers. . . . The illegal transit of tobacco products from Russia and Ukraine to the EU via Belarus has increased in recent years. Belarusian Telegraph Agency Belarus Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/Daily/Pages/ND0317103.aspx http://tobacco.org/news/298629.html State looks to capture up to $700,000 in uncollected funds; meanwhile New York considers enforcing a 2008 law that would require collecting taxes on the sale of cigarettes by Native Americans to non-Indians. National Association of Convenience Stores nacspoll@nacsonline.com (RSS Feed) Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.starbulletin.com/editorials/20100317_Ban_tobacco_from_the_mail.html http://tobacco.org/news/298627.html Smokers who buy tax-free cigarettes on the Internet have been put on notice that the government knows who they are. They also should realize that their purchase of contraband cigarettes appears headed for a permanent roadblock and should get ready to end their soon-to-be expensive habit. A 1949 federal law called the Jenkins Act requires that any person who sells and ships cigarettes across a state line to a buyer other than a licensed distributor must report the sale . . . Indian tribes, which have built a lucrative industry by selling tax-free cigarettes, are asking Obama to send it back to Congress for an amendment exempting Indian tribes, but that would defy present law. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1991 that the doctrine of sovereign immunity of Indian tribes allows a state "to collect taxes on sales to nontribal members," although a state may not impose taxes on cigarettes sold to tribal members on tribal lands. Smokers have been desperate in recent years to avoid high tobacco taxes in states such as Hawaii. Passage of the bill eliminating the Postal Service as the shipper should eliminate cigarettes made cheap through the Internet. Honolulu Star-Bulletin Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.cigarettetax17mar17,0,6870121.story http://tobacco.org/news/298618.html In 2007, Gov. Martin O'Malley and the Maryland General Assembly enacted a number of tax increases designed to close the state's budget deficit. As this year's General Assembly session illustrates, these tax hikes did not fix the state's spending problems. Instead, they created problems for many Marylanders. For instance, the cigarette tax is driving smokers to purchase their cigarettes in other states, hurting local businesses and depriving the state of tax revenue. A cigarette tax hike may be popular with politicians and public health advocates, but Marylanders are doing all they can to avoid it. . . . Clearly, some Marylanders quit smoking or reduced smoking between 2007 and 2008. But the increase in cigarette smuggling, the discrepancy between the reduction in packs of cigarettes sold and the number of smokers in the state, and the increase in neighboring states' cigarette sales indicate that some Marylanders - maybe a significant number - are taking steps to avoid the higher cigarette tax. Those Marylanders who purchase their cigarettes within state lines have increased state tax revenue, but not as much as may have been expected. . . . Increasing the cigarette tax both raised revenue and decreased smoking, but only to a limited extent, and in doing so hurt Maryland businesses and smokers. Baltimore Sun mkilmer@mdpolicy.org (Marc Kilmer) Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/248222/resolution-rpthai-cigarette-case-hits-a-snag http://tobacco.org/news/298616.html Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Jose Antonio Buencamino told reporters at the sidelines of the turnover ceremony of the DTI reigns from Secretary Peter B. Favila to newly-appointed DTI Secretary Jesli A. Lapus that instead of end March deadline this would be moved to end April. "This is a fact intensive case so the WTO panel has requested for a one month extension from end March to end April this year by which to come out with its interim report," Buencamino said. Buencamino said that the one month delay is significant for the Philippines because the case has dragged on since August 2006 and the local cigarette exporter Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. has been posting a bond to enable them to sell in the Thai market. Manila Bulletin Philippines Thailand Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=399903 http://tobacco.org/news/298615.html Mohamed A. Aaid and Mohamed H. Galazi might consider their trip through La Salle County Sunday to have turned into a drag -- they were charged with possession of cigarette packs without tax stamps on them. Aaid, 31, 1089 57th St., Apt. 27, Oakland, Calif., and Galazi, 23, 1543 Lincoln Ave., Alameda, Calif., were arrested during a traffic stop by state police on Interstate 80 and taken to the La Salle County Jail Ottawa Daily Times newsroom@mywebtimes.com Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT