BERLIN, Md. — Berlin police have arrested a New Jersey man after more than 500 cases of cigarettes were found in a car during a traffic stop.
Police say an officer stopped a car that was allegedly speeding on U.S. 113 on Monday night. Authorities say four cases of cigarettes were visible on the back seat and agents from the Maryland Comptroller’s Office were called in.
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26 comments:
Does anyone know what happens to stolen cigs that are captured? Nobody ever says..
The cops smoke 'em!
Yeah, the cops sell them and keep the money!! Or give them to their buddies.
Some of you guys are just cop haters and stupid ones at that. Grow up.
Seriously, what happens to the contraband cigarettes?
Why not give them to the homeless? They don't pay any taxes now on what they pick up from the gutter.
4 cartons of cigarettes are probable cause to search a car and call in Comptroller agents? God help us....and to believe the police conficate property and then somehow end up with it is FAR from conjecture. The SHERIFF of this county was implicated in just such a scandal. Remember?
Why are we even bothering with this? The cigarettes are purchased in VA and taken north of MD to be sold. It's not our problem.
They sold the ticket cameras on the premise that they free up LE to do more important tasks. Enforcing others states laws isn't nor should it be a priority. Give the driver a ticket and make a call to his home state LE about the contraband.
It says four cases. There are 50 cartons in a case.
I don't understand why Maryland wastes resources stopping these people the cigarettes are not bought or sold here let New Jersey and New York worry about it
Well, 200 cartons is DEFINITELY probable cause. Sorry....
I stand by the forfeiture rant.
Well I guess we should just pick and choose what parts of the constitution we uphold. The bottom line I never smoked but the whole tax issue surrounding tobacco products suck. If you are taxed in that state then it should be over with. All this taxing is just that taxing lol. The cop did his or her job. No the cops dont steal unless they are part of the one percent that are actually crooked. Trust me honest cops HATE crooked cops. This is just more freaked up govt. policy and taxation. What does the comptrollers acuatly do other then get called in after the fact. I think we could just cut the middle man out. The police should seize them and sell them at auction. Why should local cops tie up tons of hours for nothing.
Profiling again down in Worscester. No surprise.
The police stopped the car and saw the cigarettes. What they saw is illegal. So they should jut ignore it and let them drive away? I think its clearly been shown that terrorists do this to raise money.
If I were caught with a major supply of drugs and all knew where I got it from, wouldn't someone go after the distributors?
Why are the sellers allowed to continue to sell that many? There are laws to prevent the sales of massive amounts. Years ago the ATF actually would arrest people crossing the border. Very easy to stop the sellers from profiting from the black marketing that is going on here.
The store all have invoices and sales records.
Oh I forgot, the people making money on this end are protected because they are paying the taxes on the profits. Sorry what was I thinking.
$4.5 per pack in va. $11 in ny. If you sell them for $9 everyone wants them and you double your money. That is $22,500 for a day of driving. That is why so many organized crime groups and people with terrorist ties are Doin it
Anonymous said...
The police stopped the car and saw the cigarettes. What they saw is illegal. So they should jut ignore it and let them drive away? I think its clearly been shown that terrorists do this to raise money.
December 12, 2013 at 12:42 PM"
"They" keep on saying these smuggling operations fund terrorism but so far, it's not been proven and is nothing more than a way to justify their jobs so people don't get up in arms. They are forever using terrorism as a way to justify things, if you haven't noticed.
The prudent thing to do, would be to drop a dime on the suspect's local LE and let them get an investigation rolling. This is one area where LE never uses their heads. They waste much time and many resources on low level criminals while the masterminds continue to operate.
So md lost 1040 in tax revenue..so guess that means 1 crack head wont be getting his welfare check...
Never been proven? Do a Google search. It's been proven time and time again.
Anonymous said...
I don't understand why Maryland wastes resources stopping these people the cigarettes are not bought or sold here let New Jersey and New York worry about it
December 12, 2013 at 12:26 PM
They were stopped because they were speeding Numnuts. The LE agencies have a duty to enforce the state law about untaxed cigarettes. It is our problem and not only the Yankee states North of us.
Let me guess. Even given how stupid you are you are still allowed to vote?
Anonymous said...
Profiling again down in Worscester. No surprise.
December 12, 2013 at 12:41 PM
How are they profiling Dipweed?
By the looks of your spelling and grammar you should have stayed in school longer. You must be a law breaking cop hater.
Anonymous said...
Never been proven? Do a Google search. It's been proven time and time again.
December 12, 2013 at 3:16 PM
Huh?
Are we supposed to be mind readers?
"Anonymous said...
Never been proven? Do a Google search. It's been proven time and time again.
December 12, 2013 at 3:16 PM"
YOU need to do "a Google search" if you are referring to the terrorism excuse.
Every article you read says "may" have ties to terrorism, "may" be linked to Hezbollah, "believed" to have had terror training. The "link to terrorism is suspected."
You may be fooled but not me. I'm too smart.
I say let them go and let the state that lost the tax deal with it. It's a waste of time and if LE has time to worry about such things then some really need to be let go. Or maybe start patrolling the cities more which are war zones. LE involved ought to be embarrassed. People are being murdered while they are playing around with this kind of nonsense. It's a pitiful state of affairs.
People are being murdered in Berlin??? Blame the legislators who make the laws, the cops are paid to enforce them. Letting someone drive away with 500 cartons of cigarettes is insane.
Confiscated property is used by law enforcement as enticement for criminals to turn states evidence in higher profile cases. Cigarettes and Liquor are given to informants as gifts for information. Drugs and money is used to entrap dealers, electronics are used in sting operations. My favorite is sending a fake contest winner notice to wanted criminals, they show up to collect their "Won" TV and we arrest them! Stupid criminals, if you didn't enter a contest, how could you win? idiot's, they believe this crap, it works all the time, we pulled this every year! It was a whole lot less dangerous arresting a wanted criminal at a conference room full of undercover officers than at their home or apartment.
Actually the MD Tax Revenue agents place surveillance on the source of the cigarettes and then contact local LE to intercept. Cig MFG's place limits on the amount of cigs that the customer can purchase at retail. In order to receive promo funds and contract $ they must comply or will face stiff penalties. It's really the retail outlets that are solely responsible for enticing smuggling operations. A case of cigarettes is 60 ctns, but most arrive in 1/2 cases of 30 ctns. "Tax issue" cigs are sold back to the manufacturer.
Just look at the the millions in cash seized from the Ramadons in Ocean City all procedes from cigarette smuggling.
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