The Growing Threat of Contraband Tobacco

In New York, a handful of federal and state officials are fighting a tough battle against illegal cigarettes.

HOGANSBURG, N.Y. – On the St. Regis Mohawk Indian reservation close to the Canadian border, Another Dam Cigarette Store offers tax-free smokes to hoards of shoppers. One of the most popular brands is Braves, produced by factory not licensed by the federal government, the Times Union reports.

 

A combination of local, state and federal agencies constitute a small band of law enforcement tasked with stemming the flow of illegal tobacco, but more manpower is needed. “All illicit tobacco business is growing dramatically,” said Thomas Lesnak, a retired ATF senior agent who tracked cigarette smugglers.

 

Contributing to the problem is that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has withdrawn from many cases involving tobacco. “New York is a very unique state when it comes to cigarettes,” said ATF agent Steve Dickey. “It’s a high-tax, low-enforcement state with many Native American tribes with various treaties. It’s a politically sensitive, sometimes ticking time bomb.”