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Title: Federal Government Turning Citizens into Criminals
Source:
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URL Source: http://www.newswithviews.com/NWV-News/news138.htm
Published: Apr 10, 2009
Author: Jim Kouri
Post Date: 2009-04-10 13:31:21 by christine
Keywords: None
Views: 1492
Comments: 53
As the price of cigarettes rises -- in the New York City metropolitan area they now cost nearly $10.00 per pack or about $100.00 for a carton of ten packs -- and there are more and more government programs aimed at controlling sale and use, the US and state governments are creating a new organized crime enterprise. For example, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives New York office last Thursday arrested two suspects who purchased untaxed cigarettes from undercover ATF agents while also selling the agents counterfeit New York State/City Tax Stamps. Guang Ming Wang, age 58 and his son, Feishan Wang, age 30, both residents of Queens, NY, were arrested by ATF Agents without incident, meaning these were not criminals given to violence -- at least not yet, according to NYPD officer Edna Aguayo. Guang Ming Wang arrived at a prearranged "meet" location with $312,000 in cash and over 200,000 counterfeit tax stamps. As the cash and stamps were exchanged for a shipment of 12,000 cigarettes, he was immediately taken into custody. Feishan Wang was arrested at the same time in front of 144-05 29th Road in Queens. Both Wang's have been involved in this particular illicit operation since June 2008, which included 12 undercover deals involving the purchase of untaxed cigarettes and counterfeit tax stamps. During the nine month investigation, Guang Ming Wang purchased a total of 31,980 cartons of untaxed cigarettes for $846,000 and also sold ATF 103,950 counterfeit NY State/City tax stamps for $4,000. After the undercover sales of cigarettes, both Wang's were observed by agents unloading the contraband at two locations, 144-05 29th Road and 135-06 62nd Ave. in Queens. Federal search warrants were executed at both locations after the arrests. The cartons sold to Wang contained a total of 319,800 individual cigarette packs, which at a price of $10 per pack had a retail street value of more than $3.1 million dollars in New York City. The counterfeit New York tax stamps are worth $4.25 each, bringing their street value to over $440,000. It is estimated that the defendants conspired to deprive New York State and City of at least $1.8 million dollars in tax revenue through their actions. Ironically, while the ATF were arresting the Wangs, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted in favor with a strong bipartisan majority for the second time since last July to pass the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (HR 1256). Many lawmakers and groups have long been working together to urge the passage of this bill that would provide the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory control over tobacco products. "So now we have two federal agencies involved in cigarette control. What's next? SWAT teams tasked with going after 'smuggled' cartons of cigarettes? The criminal code being revised to include citizens who buy cheap cigarettes from pushers?" quips a New York City detective. "All we are doing is collecting more tax revenue and creating a new class of criminal activity," he added. "What we are witnessing is a slippery slope. What's next? Replicating [New York City's] Mayor Bloomberg's attack on trans-fats? Children denied cookies during cookie time in kindergarten? Slowly, the government is sticking their noses in citizens' business, They’re trying to micro-manage our lives," notes Mike Baker, a conservative political strategist. "The liberals love telling Americans they don't want the government in their bedrooms, but apparently every other room in the house is up for grabs," Baker quipped.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 41.
#2. To: christine (#0)
(Edited)
Why doesn't .gov make it a criminal act for growers to put radioactive fertilizer into/on tobacco products, a contributing factor of cancer, if they're so concerned about the ill-effects of smoking on smokers. That is the reason for the taxes, after all, "the costs to society are so great" because of smokers....
GREAT Somebody else has heard of this. I have asked all of the cig reps that call on our store and none has heard of it. Seems Polonium, the same stuff that killed the Russian a year ago, is in cheap fertilizer, and used by the tobacco farmers. It gets into the plants and then lodges in smokers lungs and emits(My guess) alpha particles forever, possibly generating a sarcoma. American Spirit cigs claim to have none if this, I think. IF this is true, the cig companies have knowingly killed for a bit more profit.
I've only recently heard of it, after having listened to an audio tape (I forget the name of the program). Pretty incredible that the government could care less. Perhaps they do care: they're only too happy to poison citizens it seems.
Look at what 39 states have now done - require that FIRE RETARDANT be used in commercial factory cigarettes to make them go out if not puffed on. They couldn't take out the chemicals used to keep them burning - no they had to add a new toxic chemical. Shucks if I didn't know better I would think they want to make cigarettes more toxic to kill more people for the population reduction agenda.
I'd have to agree with you.
I'd have to agree with you. Makes me glad I smoke boutique ryo tobaccos. More expensive, although with the new tax increases the difference between floor sweepings and the good stuff is no longer that much.
They'll be taxing that even more soon, you watch.
True unfortunately, but I think they managed to hit a level now that is going to result in people whatever they can to avoid the taxes - whether legal or illegal. Since I won't deal with criminals i.e., it is quit or find a legal way to minimize the tax (actually I have already found one and am looking for others - I may grow some tobacco this year). I am thinking, I am willing to bet, that there are going to be a lot of people growin' tabaccy this year. Just like my grandpa. :-)
http://www.growtobacco.net/ I think you're right. Just found this website when searching for "grow tobacco".
I decided to do some research. I think what the government has done is raised the price to the point that people who have the room to do it are going to at least try growing some of their own tobacco. There are actually quite a few sites selling supplies and seed. This could be fun watching this evolve. Of course they want to stop people from growing their own gardens too. HR 875 is a threat to every small farmer and backyard vegetable gardener.
#44. To: TwentyTwelve, christine, litus, James Deffenbach, Jethro Tull, CadetD, all (#41)
I know. The filthy bastards. I figured out why Oh'bummer is putting in a Veggie garden at the Whore House - psychological effect. "But President Obama is keeping a garden - they couldn't be thinking of trying to outlaw home gardens otherwise he wouldn't have one." It just makes me sick to see the manipulations of public perception. People don't get it - everything about the Oh'bummer pResidency is about psychological manipulation while they push through draconian police/totalitarian legislation at an ever more breakneck speed. The doublethink that presents is just mind blowing. When you finally learn enough to see and know what they are doing it gets really disgusting really fast. The suckers continue to watch Fuuu-ball and other circuses while the Republic continues to disintegrate and be disintegrated.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest"So now we have two federal agencies involved in cigarette control. What's next? SWAT teams tasked with going after 'smuggled' cartons of cigarettes? The criminal code being revised to include citizens who buy cheap cigarettes from pushers?" quips a New York City detective.
It's a well established but little known fact that commercially grown tobacco is contaminated with radiation. The major source of this radiation is phosphate fertilizer.1 The big tobacco companies all use chemical phosphate fertilizer, which is high in radioactive metals, year after year on the same soil. These metals build up in the soil, attach themselves to the resinous tobacco leaf and ride tobacco trichomes in tobacco smoke, gathering in small "hot spots" in the small-air passageways of the lungs.2 Tobacco is especially effective at absorbing radioactive elements from phosphate fertilizers, and also from naturally occurring radiation in the soil, air, and water.3
#27. To: litus (#2)
Why doesn't .gov make it a criminal act for growers to put radioactive fertilizer into/on tobacco products, a contributing factor of cancer, if they're so concerned a
#29. To: tom007 (#27)
I have asked all of the cig reps that call on our store and none has heard of it.
#31. To: litus, Tom007 (#29)
#32. To: Original_Intent, Tom007 (#31)
they had to add a new toxic chemical. ...Shucks if I didn't know better I would think they want to make cigarettes more toxic to kill more people for the population reduction agenda.
#34. To: litus (#32)
they had to add a new toxic chemical. ...Shucks if I didn't know better I would think they want to make cigarettes more toxic to kill more people for the population reduction agenda.
#36. To: Original_Intent (#34)
#37. To: litus (#36)
They'll be taxing that even more soon, you watch.
#38. To: Original_Intent (#37)
GrowTobacco.net is a new site that aims to provide the latest info on how you can grow tobacco at home at your own convenience. With the high prices of tobacco products, growing your own tobacco is the smart alternative.
#40. To: litus (#38)
#41. To: Original_Intent, litus, christine, Rotara, James Deffenbach, Jethro Tull (#40)
HR 875 is a threat to every small farmer and backyard vegetable gardener.
Replies to Comment # 41.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 41.