From: WBOC Channel 16
By Laura Olson
BERLIN, Md. (WBOC) – Police say a traffic stop in Worcester County led to a large cigarette smuggling bust Monday night.
Berlin police say an officer stopped a vehicle for speeding at US 113 and Burley Street. The driver, 30-year-old Nasser Othman of Clifton, N.J. was driving a rental car that police said he was not authorized to drive. Police said Othman also gave conflicting stories about where he was coming from and where he was going.
During the traffic stop, police say four cases of cigarettes were clearly visible on the back seat. Agents from the Maryland Comptroller’s Office were called in and seized 502 cases, or 5,020 packs, of various brand cigarettes as well as the vehicle. Police said the retail value of the cigarettes is estimated at $32,279 and a Maryland tax loss of $1,040.
