Cigarette Smuggling Linked to Terrorism

Washington Post ^ | 06/08/2004 | Sari Horwitz

[general_re]

Smugglers with ties to terrorist groups are acquiring millions of dollars from illegal cigarette sales and funneling the cash to organizations such as al Qaeda and Hezbollah, federal law enforcement officials say, prompting a nationwide crackdown on black market tobacco.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has more than 300 open cases of illicit cigarette trafficking -- including several with terrorist links -- up from only a handful five years ago, ATF sources said.

"This is a major priority for us," said Michael Bouchard, assistant director of the ATF. "The deeper we dig into these cases, the more ties to terrorism we're discovering."

The lucrative trafficking of cigarettes, known as cigarette diversion, is a simple scheme but difficult to stop, law enforcement officials say. The traffickers purchase a large volume of cigarettes in states where the tax is low, such as Virginia and North Carolina, transport them up Interstate 95 to states such as Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey and then sell them at a discount without paying the higher cigarette taxes in those states.

With huge profits -- and low penalties for arrest and conviction -- illicit cigarette trafficking now has begun to rival drug trafficking as a funding choice for terrorist groups, said William Billingslea, an ATF senior intelligence analyst who has studied the issue extensively.

[Know your rights]

Wrong; taxes are not a voluntary exchange.

In a democratic republic they sure are.

They are not voluntary to those who voted against them. Coercion does not become something else just because a majority commits it.

[Gabz]

The last I checked,bootleggers were not pillars of the community so what did these idiot politicians expect.

Your previous comment answers this.........they expect the users of those products to cough up the money without seeking an alternative.

[CSM]

"Taxing nonresidents or better yet taxing addicts is a common way to raise revenues for the greatest number. This is simply doing what capitalism requires. Acting in ones self interest."

Capitalism requires something of value, like products or services, to be exchanged for someones efforts, in addition it requires voluntary agreements of the terms. Outside military and police protection, taxation offers no value to the persons that fund the government. Government theft of income, by any means, is no more capitalistic than Cuba.

[VRWC_minion]

What is long, hard and round and sticks so far out a man's
pajamas that you can hang a hat on it?

[Know your rights]

taxes are not a voluntary exchange.

Provide proof of your claim.

The proof is the statutory criminal penalties for nonpayment. I'm surprised to have to explain this on a conservative site.

[VRWC_minion]

They are not voluntary to those who voted against them. Coercion does not become something else just because a majority commits it.

Thats not my problem. If you wish to change the system, overthrow the govt.

[cinFLA]

Outside military and police protection, taxation offers no value to the persons that fund the government.

The interstate highway system has provided great value to our country. Try it sometime.

[VRWC_minion]

Democract republic is a social contract. We all agree to allow the govt' to tax us.

[VRWC_minion]

What is it that a woman has two and a cow has four?

[Gabz]

His leg.

[Know your rights]

If smokers are harming their children, either knowingly or through ignorance, at what point is it the government's business?

I don't know how to quantify it, but it's clear to me that the burden of proof should be on those who want to intrude on parents' freedoms.

[VRWC_minion]

His head

[Dead Corpse]

...overthrow the government."

You ARE on the wrong website then.

Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America. And we always have fun doing it. Hoo-yah

You are currently advocating none of the above.

[Protagoras]

If you wish to change the system, overthrow the govt.

Jefferson was right.

[CSM]

At what point will you advocate limiting the government's business when deciding what is "good for the chilrun?"

Dad Investigated for Taking Son Off Meds

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1149909/posts

[johnb838]

Don't respond to it, it's just a disruptor.

[Gabz]

Thanks to MeekOneGOP, we have a new means of dealing with the gnatzies!!!

[VRWC_minion]

About 37 years ago I became a smoker and a turtle. I'm still a turtel. The following is the test.

...You Bet Your Sweet Ass I Am! ⁽³⁾(YBYSAIA)

As I've remembered it, in 1965 a NYC bar developed an idea in an attempt to sell more drinks. It was a simple idea base on the fact that everyone owned a jackass, and that everyone's jackass was sweet. As a member of their "club" whenever anyone asked you the club question, you had to respond in accordance with club ritual - regardless of where you were when asked. Otherwise, the "penalty" for not responding correctly was the cost of a drink. 

The club was called the (⁽⁹⁾International ⁽¹⁾Association of ) Turtles and the question, "Are you a Turtle?" required the immediate and proper response, "You bet your sweet ass I am!" Some have said that the Turtles were, in fact, very well organized and even had ⁽⁵⁾ an Imperial Turtle.

And how did one become a member of this illustrious club? Simple. All one had to do was answer correctly, (some of) these (four ?!?) questions ⁽²⁾ with the required "clean minded answers":

1. What does a woman do sitting down, that a man does standing up, that a dog does on three legs -- shake hands.
2. What word begins with an F and ends with a UCK -- firetruck.
3. What's hairy, hard and sticks out of a man's pajamas at night -- his head.
4. What four letter would, ending in K, represents intercourse between a man and a women -- talk.
5. ⁽¹⁾ What is it that a cow has four of and a woman only two -- legs.
6. ⁽¹⁾ What goes in hard but comes out soft and wet -- gum.
7. ⁽⁴⁾ What does a dog do that a man steps in -- pants. 
8. ⁽⁶⁾ What can you find in a man's pants that is about six inches long, has a head on it, and that women love so much they often blow? -- a twenty dollar bill.
9. ⁽⁶⁾ Name five words that are each four letters long, end in u-n-t, one of which is a word for a woman  -- bunt, hunt, runt, punt, aunt.
10. ⁽⁶⁾ What four letter word begins with f and ends with k, and if you can't get one you can use your hands -- fork.
11. ⁽⁶⁾ What is hard, six inches long, has two nuts, and can make a girl fat? -- Almond Joy candy bar.
12. ⁽⁶⁾ What four-letter word ends in i-t and is found on the bottom of birdcages -- grit.
13. ⁽⁶⁾ What is it that all men have one of; that is longer on some men than others, that the Pope doesn't use, and that a man gives to his wife after they're married -- his last name.
14. ⁽⁸⁾ What is it on a man that gets very large when he is excited -- his pupils.
15. ⁽⁸⁾ What is long, round, wet and full of sea men - a subarmine

Did we really do those things in our youth?!! You bet your sweet...

[CSM]

"We all agree to allow the govt' to tax us."

No, by your own statement, you agree to allow the government to tax someone else. Instead of advocating lowering taxes, you advocate shifting the burden from you to another group of persons, then label that capitalism.

Are you willing to carry the same load of taxes as the typical smoker?

[cinFLA]

I don't know how to quantify it, but it's clear to me that the burden of proof should be on those who want to intrude on parents' freedoms.

In this case, the parents' freedoms are infringing upon the freedoms and health of the children.