Baltimore Shop Owner Charged Following Comptroller's Inspection

FED agents confiscate more than $8K in tobacco products

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced that agents from his Field Enforcement Division (FED) made a significant seizure of untaxed other tobacco products (OTP) as a result of a planned operation at Lombard Liquors, a tobacco retail store located at 1000 West Lombard Street in Baltimore City.

Following an inspection on October 10, agents seized 8,636 sticks of untaxed OTP with a retail value of $8,636 and representing a tax loss of $6,045.20.

Store owner Harpal Badwal, 44, of White Marsh, was charged with willful possession, sale or offer to sell untaxed other tobacco products and as a Maryland licensed retailer of OTP unlawfully possessing OTP products, excluding premium cigars and pipe tobacco that had not been purchased from a Maryland licensed wholesaler. 

"My FED officers should be commended once again for stopping cigarette smugglers who are trying to cheat Maryland and its citizens," Comptroller Franchot said. 

FED agents and inspectors conduct random routine inspections of retailers of tobacco products throughout the state to ensure that the tobacco excise tax is being paid on all tobacco products sold and all other state laws are followed. Retailers can only be in possession of and sell tobacco products when the tobacco excise tax has already been paid by the licensed Maryland wholesaler that supplied the product to the retailer. 

During the inspection, all of the untaxed tobacco products seized were comprised of non-premium cigars. A retailer in Maryland can only lawfully possess and sell non-premium cigars that were purchased from a licensed Maryland wholesaler of OTP. In addition, the retailer must possess invoicing for all OTP inventory they possess from that licensed Maryland wholesaler that must indicate the Maryland excise tax was previously paid to the State by the wholesaler.

To date in fiscal year 2019, FED agents have arrested and charged 28 individuals for various tobacco violations as a result of discovering 31 instances of violations of Maryland's tobacco laws. These arrests have resulted in the seizure of 4,743 packs of contraband cigarettes and the seizure of 169,712 sticks of OTP. The seized items are valued at $200,297.90 and represent a $128,158.80 tax loss to the State of Maryland.