DO NOT SPEED!!
Lol, In Ohio, 55 Means 55!
Meanwhile, Swisher, is trying to keep those Sweets away from the children.
Posted on 09/21/2002 7:23:47 AM PDT by Deadeye Division
Kentucky man held on tobacco charge
55,000 cigars found in car stopped for violation
By Nancy Bowman
e-mail address: nancy_bowman@coxohio.com
Miami County Bureau
TROY | A Kentucky man stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate 75 faces felonies involving illegal possession of untaxed tobacco after state troopers said they found around 55,000 cigars and $14,450 cash in his car.
A report filed by troopers at the Piqua post of the Ohio Highway Patrol said state tax agents who came to Piqua to help in the investigation set the retail value of the Swisher Sweets brand cigars at $93,000.
The car's driver, Mustafa Yamani, 53, of Burlington, Ky., was arraigned Friday in Miami County Municipal Court.
He is charged with one felony count each of shipping, transporting or distributing tobacco products with the intent to avoid payment of taxes and being a retail dealer of tobacco products and possessing the product without payment of taxes. The charges are fourth-degree felonies which carry a maximum punishment of 18 months in prison.
He also is charged with misdemeanor transporting tobacco products without the consent of the tax commissioner and a traffic violation of following too closely.
Yamani's bail was set at $30,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 26 in Municipal Court.
In a report filed with the charges, Trooper C.A. Coverstone said Yamani's car was stopped around 10:30 a.m. Thursday just north of the Miami-Shelby county line. The trooper running radar from the interstate median said the northbound car was seen speeding in Miami County, slowed suddenly in traffic near the police cruiser and then started following a rental truck too closely.
After stopping the car, Coverstone said boxes could be seen stacked inside. Yamani was unable to provide any paperwork for the cigars although the trooper said a shipping order for 30 cases of tobacco products, worth around $11,900, from an address in Columbus to Yamani's address in Kentucky was found among the boxes.
Coverstone said the money was found, some in a brown paper bag, in the car's glove box.
Yamani told the trooper that the Columbus company had shipped him too many cigars and he was taking them back along with the money because he didn't want the cigars.
The report said a check of Yamani's record showed he had a prior arrest for smuggling and conspiracy out of Detroit.
He was arrested and taken to the county jail.
Contact Nancy Bowman at 335-4357 or nancy_bowman@coxohio.com
Yep, cigars are a gateway drug that could eventually lead to brandy.
DO NOT SPEED!!
Lol, In Ohio, 55 Means 55!
Meanwhile, Swisher, is trying to keep those Sweets away from the children.
Dayton Daily News
TROY | Felony charges accusing a Kentucky man of illegal possession of untaxed tobacco after state troopers said they found an estimated 55,000 cigars in his car were dismissed Thursday in Miami County Municipal Court.
The dismissals against Mustafa Yamani, 53, of Burlington were filed with the condition that new charges can be pursued.
He was charged with one felony count each of shipping, transporting or distributing tobacco products with intent to avoid payment of taxes and being a retail dealer of tobacco products and possessing the product without payment of taxes.
Troopers arrested Yamani Sept. 19 after they found the cigars, valued by state tax agents at $93,000, and $14,450 in cash in his car.
A trooper said Yamani was stopped on a traffic violation for following too closely. He also is charged with misdemeanor transporting tobacco products without the consent of the tax commissioner. Those two charges are pending in Municipal Court.
[From the Dayton Daily News: 09.27.2002]
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Great catch. |
I'm assuming you have a decent humidor since you may want to let those puppies age a bit (3-6 months). JR Cigar can't be beat...but protect your investment.
You'll thank me sometime around the New Year when you're sipping a fine aged libation and toking on one of those humps, celebrating the victory in Iraq...
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