Posted on 05/19/2005 1:06:18 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(Hammond) - Federal authorities say that two Hoosiers are part of an illegal cigarette ring.
The US Attorney's office says 20 people have been charged as part of a ring that acquired cigarettes in Indiana then sold them across the border in Illinois without paying taxes.
The suspects were arrested Tuesday. Authorities say the people acquired more than three million cigarettes in Indiana and then sold them in Illinois where taxes on cigarette sales are significantly higher.
Each of the defendants was charged with five federal counts of shipping and selling contraband cigarettes.
The two from northwest Indiana are 40-year-old Hani Shubbak of Hammond and 34-year-old Nasser Farrash of Schererville.
Many of the other suspects are from Chicago and its surrounding suburbs.
You can't be shorting the Feds of tax money. That really gets them mad.
I do wonder the nationality considering their names though.
Red state caught importing cigarettes to blue state to kill off blue state people.
Wouldn't the Federal taxes for smokes in one state be the same as another state?
The feds don't get shorted EVER. The cost difference between two states is purely state taxes.
Why are the feds worried about interstate commerce occuring? I thought that the purpose of forming the Union to begin with.
Everybody knows that you go to Kentucky to get cigarettes on the cheap.
Gasp. The horror!
"Wouldn't the Federal taxes for smokes in one state be the same as another state?"
It's not the federal tax but the state tax that varies wildly. But, it is possible to really scam the "system" by selling counterfeit cigarettes, always a popular American brand. No tax paid whatsoever. I'm surprised that these are actually "real" cigs, given the surnames involved.
Just a hint of the new black market that would be created if we ever went to a national sales tax.
War on cigarettes! Here comes another Al Capone.
"I do wonder the nationality considering their names though."
The article clearly states that they're Hoosiers, heaven knows that no one of middle eastern descent ever get into trouble! /sarcasm
I agree but isn't smuggling a federal offense. Are you from mid-Michigan? I know a Bob Buchholz but I am not sure of the spelling.
There was an article posted here in January, same place, same situation, that speculated that the smuggling was done to raise funds for certain unAmerican activities:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1330659/posts
Atticle 1, section 9
Clause 5: No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
how does buying something in one state vs buying the same thing in another have ANYTHING to do with a NST?
Well, at least they didn't take a pregnant 14 year-old girl across states lines to get an abortion without a parent's knowledge.
Hani Shubbak...Nasser Farrash
This is the most important part of the story. I wonder what he names are of the other 20 perps.
Terrorists often use criminal enterprises to get cash for the cause.
The black marketeers will buy in one country and sell it here sans taxes.
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