Monthly Archives: March 2015

Here’s what 10.3 million illegal cigarettes looks like

Posted on March 31, 2015

From: TheJournal.ie

No word on whether ‘Don Corleone’ was the Godfather’s brand of choice.

OVER 10.3 MILLION cigarettes were seized by Revenue at Dublin Port over the weekend.

They had a retail value of €4.7 million.

Revenue said the find was as a result of “routine profiling”.

A mobile scanner revealed the ‘Don Corleone’ brand cigarettes concealed in a 40 foot container which had arrived into the port from Belgium. The cigarettes were described on documents as ‘paper handkerchiefs’.

Revenue said the seizures are part of its “ongoing operations targeting
the supply and sale of illegal cigarettes in the shadow economy”.

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Lexington Park Man Admits to Gun Charges, Trafficking Contraband Cigarettes

Posted on March 31, 2015

From: Southern Maryland Online

GREENBELT, Md. (March 30, 2015) – William Terrance Proctor, a/k/a “Boobie,” and “Booby,” age 31, of Lexington Park, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the theft of a firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm, unlawful sale of a firearm to a prohibited person; and receipt, possession and transportation of contraband cigarettes.

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“ATF worked hand-in-hand with our local counterparts to uncover a calculated scheme involving the theft and subsequent sale of numerous firearms,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan. “The law enforcement community in Southern Maryland strives to protect the public and prevent firearms from getting into the hands of criminals. We will continue to work to ensure that all of those responsible for the theft of these firearms are brought to justice.”

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Coventry shopkeeper ‘sold illegal cigs to kids in school uniform

Posted on March 30, 2015

From: Coventry Telegraph

By

More than 50 Coventry shops found to be selling counterfeit tobacco during two day secret shopper operation

Investigators looking into the sale of illegal tobacco in Coventry say a shopkeeper was caught selling dodgy cigarettes to kids in school uniform.

Undercover test purchasers bought counterfeit products from more than 50 shops in the city during a two day operation last week.

They also purchased the illegal products from pubs, a working men’s club, from homes and on Facebook.

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Freighter Genc 3 intercepted off Greece with contraband cigarettes

Posted on March 30, 2015

From: FleetMon

by Mikhail Voytenko

General cargo vessel GENC 3  with large quantity of contraband cigarettes on board was intercepted by Greek authorities off Kalamata port, Peloponnese, Greece, on Mar 29, and taken to Kalamata. It is understood, that authorities knew about contraband shipment, destined for Greece, and were monitoring the vessel’s movements. 11 containers with cigarettes were found, 8 crew was arrested, all non-Greek. Investigation under way. On a photo seized GENC 3 in Kalamata port. Last registered by AIS port of call was Tobruk, GENC 3 left port on Mar 10, date doesn’t fit to Libya – Greece voyage, too much time for 300 nm journey.

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Cigarette trafficking spawning other crimes and possibly violence

Posted on March 30, 2015

From: Richmond Times-Dispatch

By FRANK GREEN Richmond Times-Dispatch

One frigid afternoon last January, two men transferring cigarettes to a van from a Glen Allen rental storage unit were interrupted by robbers who ordered them to the floor and held them at gunpoint. The thieves finished loading the vehicle and then drove it off with $90,000 worth of cigarettes and $25,000 in cash.

Four men have been charged by federal authorities in that robbery and three other recent Richmond-area holdups that netted hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of cigarettes and cash.

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