Four charged following traffic stop and three store inspections
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (April 23, 2018) - Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced that agents from his Field Enforcement Division (FED) assisted in a traffic stop and conducted investigations of three retail stores resulting in the confiscation of nearly $60,000 worth of tobacco products.
At 1 p.m. on April 18, FED agents assisted Master Trooper C.W. Miller stopped a 2017 Dodge Caravan registered in Missouri for a traffic violation on Interstate 81 just south of Exit 9 in Hagerstown. Agents seized 7,700 packs of unstamped cigarettes as well as the van. The seized cigarettes are valued at $49,655, representing a tax loss to state of $15,400.
The driver, Jesuel Mariano Paulino, 23, of High Point, NC, faces a felony charge of transporting unstamped cigarettes and a misdemeanor charge of possession of unstamped cigarettes. He was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond.
"I again applaud the round-the-clock efforts of the Maryland State Police and my FED officers for stopping cigarette smugglers who are trying to cheat Maryland and its citizens," Comptroller Franchot said.
On April 17 and 18, FED agents and inspectors seized untaxed other tobacco products (OTP) valued at a total of more than $8,985 during separate inspections at stores in Prince George's and Baltimore counties as well as Baltimore City.
Three men face a criminal citation of willful possession, sale or offer to sell untaxed tobacco products. They are:
- Abdul Ahad Polash, 36, of District Heights, store clerk at DC Mini Mart LLC: 2319A Varnum Street in Mount Ranier; 8,002 sticks of untaxed OTP seized with a retail value of $8,002 and representing a tax loss of $5,601.40.
- Rabindra Adhikari, 37, of Baltimore, owner of Yogi and Rabindra Inc.: 9117B Belair Road in Nottingham; 503 sticks of untaxed OTP seized with a retail value of $503 and a tax loss of $352.10.
- Maxi Guzman, 38, of Baltimore, store manager at J&R Grocery & Deli Inc.: 1245 North Patterson Park Avenue in Baltimore; 480 sticks of untaxed OTP seized with a retail value of $480 and a tax loss of $336.
Retailers must possess invoices for all OTP inventory indicating that the Maryland excise tax had been paid to the state by the wholesaler.
To date in fiscal year 2018, which began on July, 1, 2017, FED Agents have arrested and charged 135 individuals for various tobacco violations as a result of discovering 126 instances of violations of Maryland's tobacco laws. These arrests have resulted in the seizure of 156,817 packs of contraband cigarettes and the seizure of 429,546 sticks of OTP. The seized items are valued at $1,469,474.84 and represents a $688,888.63 tax loss to the State of Maryland.
9 comments:
Wow what is really sad is that the morons in moscow/annapolis lost almost 700k of tax revenue for MD to waste. Lower the taxes you friggin idiots and they will smuggle out of MD instead of into it. I cant wait to leave this commie state!!! Cant fix stupid in MD so im leaving
If MD legalized weed like CO did and taxed it, we would have a budget surplus like they do. The fake news in this story is that most of the tobacco products were headed to other states. The tax loss is only a loss if the products were sold in MD. Plenty of alcohol is purchased in DE and driven back into MD from Delmar. The revenuers should stake out the liquor store and pull vehicles over as the head south on 13.
Anonymous said...
If MD legalized weed like CO did and taxed it, we would have a budget surplus like they do. The fake news in this story is that most of the tobacco products were headed to other states. The tax loss is only a loss if the products were sold in MD. Plenty of alcohol is purchased in DE and driven back into MD from Delmar. The revenuers should stake out the liquor store and pull vehicles over as the head south on 13.
April 25, 2018 at 5:39 AM
I hope you don't think this is going to make me support your gateway drug. It ain't going to happen Carl.
0539 - I THINK that would only be illegal if they were re-sold in retail establishments (Buster's, The Bottle Store, other non-Wico. Liquor Dispensaries) or used in restaurants, when not having been bought in MD and having the "WCLCB" yellow sticker. I don't know of any laws against an individual traveling to purchase alcoholic products for their own consumption. Now, a entrepreneur in a local college may find a great enterprise in driving to Delmar, getting high amounts of liquor and reselling them, but that's strictly a hypothesis.
Who is cheating who Frachot? I think the state is stealing from its citizens and the mercenary troopers involved are guilty of armed robbery. Moreover, they must also be guilty of illegal espionage to have known the van was traveling with plant matter.
Time for Peter to go and its election year too. These are not run of the mill thieves, it goes much higher since the amount heading north would fetch 3-5 times MORE than it would in high taxed MD.
Thanks Peter for the craziness that has gone on here along the eastern shore for YEARS regarding liquor, only to be fixed within the last 2 years of being able to buy wholesale outside the state. Thanks for making Montgomery County still nuts and buying spirits from internal wholesalers who cost more than wholesalers outside of Monkey County.
I'd urge you/legislature to control spending, but you and others are on the way out!
Good luck to ya!
Wow, I feel safer already. And now a quiet golf clap.
Just wait until the FDA lowers nicotine - the smuggling will be out of control ! The government is full of morons.
Hey Carl. I don't use pot but support taxing those that do. Alcohol is the ultimate gateway drug.
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