December
13, 2000
Ellensburg – The Liquor Control Board seized 4,093 cartons of untaxed cigarettes Thursday, December 7, that were headed for Western Washington. The seizure took place a few miles East of Ellensburg, Washington.
The 4,093 cartons of cigarettes represent a wholesale value of $85,000 and $33,767.25 in evaded taxes. Liquor and Tobacco Agents also confiscated the truck and trailer that was used for transportation of the illegal cigarettes.
Two subjects were booked into Kittatis County jail and will be arraigned on charges of felony possession and transportation of untaxed cigarettes. The penalties for possession of untaxed cigarettes are as follows:
- Seizure of untaxed cigarettes.
- A remedial penalty of $10 per pack of cigarettes or $250 minimum penalty, whichever is greater.
- Payment of cigarette tax and interest
- It is a class C felony to be in possession of more than 60,000 untaxed cigarettes.
This seizure was the result of several weeks of surveillance involving Liquor Control Board Enforcement agents.
Washington imposes a cigarette tax on the sale, use, consumption, possession or distribution of cigarettes. For a package of 20 cigarettes, the tax is .82 cents or $8.25 per carton.
Currently the state loses 105 million dollars a year due to cigarette tax evasion. This is down 10 million from last year’s estimate, a decline possibly attributed to the Liquor Control Board’s enforcement efforts. The Department of Revenue attributes the source of evasion to:
Native American smoke shops 60%
Military Sales 11%
Casual Smuggling (out of state) 29%
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For more information, contact Tricia Currier at (360) 664-1784 or page at
(360) 290-3683.
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