Schenectady Man Charged with Attempting to Sell Untaxed Cigars and Cigarettes in Troy
Tax Department investigators seize more than 3,500 cigars and 1,000 cigarettes
For Release: Immediate,
For media inquiries only, contact:
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today announced the seizure of untaxed tobacco products in Troy and the arrest of Derrick Hill of Schenectady, NY, for allegedly attempting to sell them to a store clerk at Empire Mart, Inc. located at 34 5th Avenue in Troy, NY.
Tax Department investigators spotted the attempted illegal sale of more than 3,500 cigars and 1,000 cigarettes during a routine retail inspection on Tuesday, November 30.
The investigators seized 475 cigars inside the store. They discovered another 3,039 cigars and five cartons of cigarettes with Virginia state tax stamps inside the vehicle Hill was using.
Hill, who is not licensed as a wholesale dealer of cigarettes and tobacco products as required, told investigators the untaxed products belonged to him. He’s charged with two misdemeanors: possession of unstamped or unlawfully stamped cigarettes for the purpose of sale and possession of 2,500 or more untaxed cigars. He is scheduled to return to Troy City Court on December 16, 2021.
###
