USA SMUGGLING RING
January 1st, 2004
BY MONICA DOBIEAMERICAN police have arrested 10 people in what authorities describe as the country's largest ever cigarette smuggling ring, seizing more than US$18.1 million worth of black market bound tobacco. Some of the estimated 100 million smuggled cigarettes were counterfeits from Asia hidden in imported plastic goods or toys. Others were authentic brands that reached US ports and evaded taxes by being falsely declared as being bound for Mexico. Prime destinations for the contraband were Los Angeles, western Texas and New York State, (including an unnamed ...
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