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Senate Bill 69, which has passed the state Senate and is pending in the House of Delegates, would triple the current fine per carton for cigarette smuggling for first offenders and double the increased fine for repeat offenders.
“The tool we desperately need to combat this wave of smuggling is tougher penalties for those who commit these crimes,” said State Comptroller Peter Franchot this week. “Far too often our agents with local law enforcement arrest a smuggler and we find out it’s the third, or fourth, or fifth time they’ve been arrested for the same offense.”
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24 comments:
but Marijuana is okay...
“It’s a felony to bring more than two packs of cigarettes into the state of Maryland without a Maryland stamp on it,” said Franchot.
A felony...really?..Maryland would ruin somebody's entire life and take away their rights for just a few packs of cigs??..That's just ridiculous.
I can understand stopping mass smuggling operations but, a few packs for personal use is excessive IMHO.
If some states did not charge exorbitant taxes on cigarettes there would be no smuggling.
that's right, and that felony would stop you from owning a firearm. stupid imho
If Maryland didn't tax cigs so much there would be no need to smuggle them in. Again, it's all about dollars and how Maryland can get it's hands on more of them to waste.
They waste more trying to prevent it than they collect. We are truly living in a police state now.
As it gets to be that fewer and fewer people smoke cigarettes and the tax money dries up, our taxes will rise, in effect penalizing us for not smoking.
10:29 Don't worry they will just start taxing the fat (people) to make up for it.
In essence, the state is forcing you to buy their products, (cigs with THEIR tax stamp on them), and penalizing you for buying the competitions, De., Va.
They don't want free trade, don't want the competition, not at all concerned about your health, just want you tax monies. And want a monopoly on what you can buy and bring into the state.
The only 'victim' in all this is the state. But then they make more victims by enforcing such draconian and invasive laws.
They are not forcing anyone to buy a Maryland product, they are forcing people to pay a Maryland tax.
If someone wants to make a buck by undercutting the state, isn't that their right?
Laws of supply and demand, free market? Something?
Maryland just doing what Maryland does best, being a bully.
"I AM A FELON". My husband is, too. We are both, sadly, smokers. (Please don't preach...we've tried to quit many times and it just isn't going to happen.) We are on a fixed income. Last week we made our monthly run, down what we call "Tobacco Road", to get our monthly supply. We were discussing the incredible hypocrisy of this matter.
There is a store on the border - many stores actually - that move over 100,000 cartons of smokes each month. The law states that you are limited to one carton "through the state". Are you telling me that these stores make a living by (legally) selling one carton to each customer? Imagine a hundred thousand cars pulling in to a border cigarette outlet every month!
So far, the Feds haven't busted the little old couple trying to save a few dollars by "smuggling" cigs, but it's coming I'm sure.
If the insane sin-tax continues up north, this is going to escalate to a point equal to Prohibition. Just watch.
The smugglers aren't smuggling into Maryland, they are getting caught in Maryland en route to NY. Maryland just wants more money from these lawbreakers. Are you so paranoid that you think the jackbooted state agents are gonna kick in your door because you bought a carton in Delmar? Get real
Wicomico co does the same thing to restaurants. You must buy you liqueur from the county dispensers. If the liqueur board comes in they can fine you for every bottle that does not have their tax stamp on it.
Are you so paranoid that you think the jackbooted state agents are gonna kick in your door because you bought a carton in Delmar? Get real
March 1, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Who is to say they wouldn't do just that?
You haven't been paying enough attention to recent events concerning these jackals.
We know where the cigs are headed to. They are selling for more than 80 bucks a carton up north. There is a nice profit to be made investing in and reselling cigarettes.
The big old state is not getting their cut of the profits, and that's what they are upset with.
But yes, let's track these 'lawbreakers' down like dogs and make them suffer for trying to make a buck in a capitalistic country.
They must have forgotten to pay off the local cops and politicians first.
Just simple supply and demand. With the state throwing in a little extortion.
They are targeting both personal use, and the large haulers going to other states, (NY, NJ). My son and I were stopped six years ago coming back into MD from VA. We were issued a summons and paid a $500 fine + court costs. Now when we go we make a day of it, shopping, lunch, and never cross back into MD at the same place we bought from.
11:49 You know what we all live on a "fixed income" It is an awful term that means we are supposed to feel sorry for you.
Spending that fixed income on cigarettes is just plain stupid.
2:17 what do you spend your non fixed income on? Are all your purchases non stupid? I'd bet not. Like everyone else you probably have a bunch of crap you don't need. I didn't see where 11:49 was looking for sympathy in their post. Why don't come down off of that pedestal you've placed yourself upon and stop being so above everyone else. Stay focus and on subject would you.
Spending that fixed income on cigarettes is just plain stupid.
March 1, 2013 at 2:17 PM
Sorry, but your response is stupid.
Am I a felon for buying beer in Delmar DE.
moving back to Virginia were i can buy all the cigerttes beer I want . Guns n handguns I want and not be taxed to death .... gas tax.. mileage tax..gun tax... don't wanna frack...mileage tax frig these people are nuts....color me gone...
2:17: I am certainly NOT looking for any sympathy for being on a fixed income. It just means that I will not be making - or even looking for - that increase in my yearly funds as I did prior to our retirement. We're having the best years of our lives - and an extra $1000 a year savings will buy a lot of gifts for the grandkids on one of the cruises we take every year. Sympathy? Hell no!
If you want to feel sorry about something, feel sorry about the fact we have that damn habit (since we were kids) that we can't kick.
As for the writer that thought I may be "paranoid": It is clearly obvious that you've had no serious back-and-forths with the Federal Government. I have. You are very naive, my friend, on what they are capable of doing.
as usual Maryland shoots themselves.. in the foot every time they up taxes.. the projected revenues they expect fall short because people stop bying move..quit or buy in more constitunal states..I flip md off every chance i get....expected revenues from a gun tax will also explode in thier face ...such fools..
A study in Chicago found that 62% of the cigarettes bought IN Chicago are from sources outside of the city. The tax is higher and revenue is down. Maryland, take notes. (By the way: A carton of Pall Mall in New York today is $121.00. Chicago $112.00. Virginia: $26.)
759, those are incredible numbers! I think I have a new business brewing!
I will continue to flip off the state of MD 2 packs of smokes at a time.i work in va and already looking to relocate thier..
"I will continue to flip off the state of MD 2 packs of smokes at a time.i work in va and already looking to relocate thier.."
Finally! Makes the daily average of the misuse of there, their, and they're still holding at 100%!
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