14 People Charged With Illegally Purchasing 77M Cigarettes

Fox News ^ | 11/5/09 | Associated Press

[nd2bfree]

That 77 million cigarettes comes to about 14 manufacturing size skids. Not so impressive when looked at that way.

[proud_yank]

That’s why the “let’s tax marijuana and drive the traffickers out of business” argument is such an utter farce.

You beat me to it. I've never once heard someone make the case to legalize pot to eliminate the illegal trade (black market), and not include '...and tax the hell out of it to generate revenue'.

1) People don't exist to support a govt.
2) High taxes will keep the same folks in business that they're claiming will be eliminated.

[M. Espinola]

Ditto! The higher the taxes, the more theft of that tax money by elected officials and their cohorts.

[SUSSA]

Freedom depends on smugglers.

John Hancock was a smuggler.

[Caipirabob]

Meanwhile the other several billion cigarettes that got through are being sold at record profits. The black market hails the Fed and thanks them for this unexpected bonus. Keep raising those taxes, boys!

[varyouga]

The medical argument may be unnecessary but it makes banning the plant a far worse crime against the People.

Smoking the raw plant is the lowest form of its medical potential. With only a decade or so of real research in the early 20th century, the old drug companies made highly effective and 100% safe formulas.

The compounds in cannabis are highly symbiotic to most plant-eating animals, especially mammals. Our bodies have nerve receptors all over the body specifically designed for them. Since the hemp seed was a highly nutritious, energy rich and ubiquitous plant it is believed animals adapted to use them. Much like animals adapted to use vitamins and minerals provided by plants.

With over 400 unresearched highly symbiotic compounds and modern technology, the possibilities are endless. The only reason we mock the medical community is that the emperor (US gov’t) refuses to admit it has no clothes and an industry makes billions holding up this farce.

[green iguana]

Look - I just smoke a lot, okay?

[bamahead]

Cigarette smuggling has increased in recent years as high taxes in New York and elsewhere have made the crime more profitable.

Heavy taxation to influence behavior (one step removed from prohibition) does absolutely nothing for those behaviors, and usually has a negative impact on gubermint revenue. But it definitely enhances the revenue stream for the common smuggler, and encourages behaviors like taking out a contract on your rivals.



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[Still Thinking]

14 People Charged With Illegally Purchasing 77M Cigarettes

Smoke much?

I agree with you about smuggling. When the government is in such complete control that you have to do what they tell you without any assent on your part, they can be a lot more totalitarian. If they know their demands must be viewed by most people as at least semi-legitimate or the people may choose non-compliance, they have to put on their nice face, so it benefits everyone. Tax compliance the same way.

[justiceseeker93]

But it definitely enhances the revenue stream for the common smuggler, and encourages behaviors like taking out a contract on your rival.

Organized crime has been into cigarette smuggling (also called "bootlegging") for years. Ditto Islamic criminal gangs with connections to Islamofascist terrorists.

[discostu]

If you lowered the taxes it would. Even the article understands that. The more the government charges for something the more incentive there is to avoid having to pay the government.

[Bokababe]

"Heavy taxation to influence behavior (one step removed from prohibition) does absolutely nothing for those behaviors, and usually has a negative impact on gubermint revenue. But it definitely enhances the revenue stream for the common smuggler, and encourages behaviors like taking out a contract on your rivals."

There is a bill in the Senate right now which will shut down, not only all cigarette sales by mail and internet, but also all electronic cigarette sales. It's called the 2009 PACT Act, and it is about to come out of committee for a vote in the Senate.

[Landru]

"Freedom depends on smugglers."

LOL!!!!!!
Yea, it's true.

Cig *smuggling* is an enormous business in WI.
Yup, and the "deals" being resold here?
Coming from right across the state line in none other than zerO's home state. Illinois. LOL!!!!

Guess Doyle's got to direct his Wisconsin State Patrol to set up *road blocks* on boarder highways & roads, now.
Can take a lesson from CA, call 'em fruit checks.
Considering the double-entendre potential, they'll undoubtedly find plenty of both! LOL

[secretagent]

Heavy taxation to influence behavior (one step removed from prohibition) does absolutely nothing for those behaviors, and usually has a negative impact on gubermint revenue.

Kind of a Laffer curve?

[secretagent]

That’s why I’d rather it stay illegal. I fear the government a hell of a lot more than I’ll ever fear any cartel.

But in a way, isn't the government a kind of cartel here? It uses violence to shut down some businesses, to the benefit of other businesses and itself.

[elkfersupper]

But in a way, isn't the government a kind of cartel here? It uses violence to shut down some businesses, to the benefit of other businesses and itself.

Why,........yes .

And it has the largest, best equipped, best financed street gang in the world to be sure it gets what it wants.