On The Maryland Criminal Defense Blog I found an interesting article...
Surprising Maryland Criminal Offenses
You can be charged with a crime in Maryland if you purchase more than 2 packs of cigarettes from out of state and transport them home, as a Maryland resident, according to this report.
Cigarettes are much cheaper in Virginia and North Carolina, due to the fact that the average tax is $2 per pack here, while it is only about $1.20 in Virginia. So even if you literally walk across the border, and bring back 3 packs of cigarettes, you are a criminal.
I wrote to him and asked exactly how much of fine one would be looking at if they were caught doing such a horrible thing.
My God, don't let your mother go down to the VA line and pick up a couple of cartons of smoke for herself and your dad and maybe your Aunt Sue, or she may just end up in jail.
I have had a lot of questions lately as to why the Pocomoke PD has been hanging out at Royal Farms. Is this why? Are they watching people with Maryland tags and then pulling them over for true price shopping. God forbid you have a coupon!
If this is so and I hope one of the officers or the Mayor chimes in on this topic and sets the record straight. Just how much does the City make on this type of 'crime'?
I totally get the 50 dozen cartons in the trunk of a car with New York plates, but 10 or less cartons really shouldn't be an issue.
If you work in an office in Salisbury and live in Pocomoke and all your office buds give you $30 bucks to pick them up a carton of their favorite brand once a week... what is the big deal? Your not reselling them, your giving your friend a break to save him a few on his carton. It's no big deal.
I have that the fine is $1000. per carton! That's a lotta bucks folks... does this money go into the city treasury or to the state.
If it goes to the state there is no point in paying the Pocomoke City police Department to do it. Let the State Officers handle it. A couple of months ago people were questioning why there were so many cars in town especially over at a couple of the apartment buildings were full of cars with VA tags. Mayor McDermott responded to this complaint that it was up to the state to enforce the tags on the cars in town to make sure that they were in compliance. So if this is the stance the town is taking about matters of the state I believe that their is no reason to enforce a stateinitiative to prevent Marylanders (especially ones in border towns) from purchasing cigarettes at a more reasonable price.
Let me know what you think.
8 comments:
now why is that a law?
if you shop in delaware and buy other items with no sales tax will they fine you?
Its the law because your elected official say it is. You got a problem talk to them. It is just like buying any item that they get a tax revenue from, furniture, appliances, cars. When you have it delivered in Maryland or go to tag a vehicle they collect the tax from you and law enforcement ( comptroller's police) does not care about two packs or two cartons but you can be charged with it.
That's an odd state law because when I returned from Mexico I was allowed to bring 2 cartons back into the country. I have read the same though, somewhere.
There are no laws about buying liquor out of state is there?
Actually, I believe there is a similar law regarding transporting liquor over state lines, but the laws are not aimed at the "little people." These laws are designed to catch cigarette smugglers; those guys who bring down truckloads of cigs from New York. Trust me, no one's gonna bother you for a few cartons. The State is after the "big fish," who cause the State to lose thousands of dollars in tax revenues.
Yes, if you get a one day liquor license in Wicomico County, you must purchase the liquor from the county.
Tim:
That's an odd state law because when I returned from Mexico I was allowed to bring 2 cartons back into the country.
Maryland does not share a border with Mexico.
If you continue on to Maryland you are breaking the State law...
dont smoke
Two years ago my mother was stopped by the comptrollers cops and issued a citation for her monthly stash of 3 cartons. Had she been driving my car tagged from another state she would not have been stopped. A lot of people she knows now go to the food lion there in VA and pick up a few groceries and a couple of cartons. Its harder to stake out a grocery store. And ask for paper, not plastic.
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