SNOW HILL — Four individuals were arrested on cigarette smuggling charges in April during a three-day sting carried out in Worcester County by the state Comptroller’s Office.
During the sting operation, agents seized a total of 24,750 packs of contraband cigarettes and three vehicles. The seized cigarettes were valued at more than $159,000.
Each suspect was charged with willful transportation of unstamped cigarettes, a felony that carries a mandatory fine of $150 for each carton and a possible sentence of up to two years. Each was also charged with willful possession, sale or offer to sell unstamped cigarettes, a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail.
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Enough of this barrage of what they "could face".They will face very little if any time behind bars.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I feel so much SAFER now. Good job highwaymen...er, I mean Mr. Police Officer Sir. That was so brave of you in such a dangerous situation. They could have blown smoke on you or a pack of cigs could have been thrown at you or fell on your foot.
ReplyDeleteYou know, smuggling cigs is just a gateway crime. It leads to much more serious crimes. Such as speeding, unsafe lane change, failure to keep right of center,.....things like that.
I am sooooo envious of you guys. I so wish I had such a cool job like you guys. Oh well, one can dream can't one?
A crime created by government.
ReplyDeleteGovernments incestuous greed for tax money (Extortion) causes these crimes.
Anything you can do to bypass the governments oppression it's your duty to do it.
ReplyDeleteWhy is this a crime in Maryland? Maryland isn't losing any tax revenue, New York and New Jersey are.
ReplyDeleteUnderground economy - it is the only way that I do business.
ReplyDeleteI'm with 1:59. I'm not there yet, but cash is still king.
ReplyDeleteI bet they hide out in the area of the Peace Token in New Church and spy on people as they leave the store. They don't just randomly pull someone over and find that amount of cigs on them. That's no different than a cop hang out across the street from a bar and then pulling the driver over for DUI down the street.
ReplyDeleteSomeone should go to Peace Token, or wherever, and buy 500 cartons of cigs then take them to a rented mini-storge unit nearby and unload them and wait a few weeks before transporting them north. I wonder how long the cops would continue their stakeout before giving up?
ReplyDeleteHey Marylanders! Come buy stuff in tax free Delaware and transport it back home. Wow, big stakeout landed a few (potential) bucks in cig tax. I couldn't agree more with 10:54. Outstanding police work, real thugs off the street, took years of studies, surveillance, secret wire taps, and SWAT team tactics to take them Terrorists off the street. What a joke.
ReplyDelete"These are arabs and they use the profits to fund terrorists groups in the middle east."
ReplyDeleteNo, they are called Democrats and they fund groups in Annapolis. Please stop giving Arabs a bad name.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThese are arabs and they use the profits to fund terrorists groups in the middle east.
May 3, 2014 at 3:16 PM
sure sure. that is one cover story. our own government funds these groups. They just do this for a hobby .
Our government cannot allow this to happen. My Gosh can you imagine if all people were allowed to have free and independent thought? Total anarchy.
And this is still more time than you would get for child abuse.
ReplyDeleteYes Obama funds Terrorist.
ReplyDeleteHowever Muslims also support them. Obama only funds the ones he likes. The others have to get it however they can.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteYes Obama funds Terrorist.
However Muslims also support them. Obama only funds the ones he likes. The others have to get it however they can.
May 3, 2014 at 10:01 PM
I don't know what you are trying to say
Peter Franchot at work here.
ReplyDeleteExcellent work! keep it up!
ReplyDeleteThe taxes we all pay fund the terrorist in the White House.
ReplyDeleteGo ahead Maryland, raise the cig tax another dollar and see how many more criminals you will be chasing down for the thing. Great, more tax revenue but what is the total cost to the state to catch and prosecute, incarcerate and probate the hardened criminals you have created through your tax, tax and tax some more policies?
ReplyDelete@3:39 PM, 6:30 PM
ReplyDeletePeace Token limits the number of cartons one can purchase.
Most of the cigarettes are coming from states south of Virginia and heading to markets north of Maryland.
Frankly I believe the State of Maryland is violating Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.
If the various states levied a more uniform tax on tobacco the incentive to smuggle would cease to exist.
Sand Box John
You be cool for thirty hours and Ill give thirty grand, its smugglers blues.
ReplyDelete