Section 1399-LL. Unlawful shipment or transport of cigarettes  


Latest version.
  • 1. It shall
      be unlawful for any person engaged in the business of selling cigarettes
      to  ship  or  cause  to  be shipped any cigarettes to any person in this
      state who is not: (a) a person licensed as  a  cigarette  tax  agent  or
      wholesale  dealer  under  article  twenty  of  the tax law or registered
      retail dealer under section four hundred eighty-a of the tax law; (b) an
      export warehouse proprietor pursuant  to  chapter  52  of  the  internal
      revenue  code  or  an operator of a customs bonded warehouse pursuant to
      section 1311 or 1555 of title 19 of the United States  Code;  or  (c)  a
      person  who  is  an  officer,  employee  or  agent  of the United States
      government, this state  or  a  department,  agency,  instrumentality  or
      political  subdivision  of  the  United  States or this state, when such
      person is acting in accordance with his  or  her  official  duties.  For
      purposes of this subdivision, a person is a licensed or registered agent
      or  dealer  described in paragraph (a) of this subdivision if his or her
      name appears on a list of  licensed  or  registered  agents  or  dealers
      published  by  the department of taxation and finance, or if such person
      is licensed or registered as an agent or dealer under article twenty  of
      the tax law.
        2.  It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  common  or  contract carrier to
      knowingly transport cigarettes to any person in  this  state  reasonably
      believed  by  such  carrier  to  be  other  than  a  person described in
      paragraph (a), (b) or (c)  of  subdivision  one  of  this  section.  For
      purposes  of  the preceding sentence, if cigarettes are transported to a
      home or residence, it shall be presumed  that  the  common  or  contract
      carrier  knew  that  such person was not a person described in paragraph
      (a), (b) or (c) of subdivision one of this section. It shall be unlawful
      for any other person to knowingly transport cigarettes to any person  in
      this  state,  other  than to a person described in paragraph (a), (b) or
      (c) of subdivision one of this  section.  Nothing  in  this  subdivision
      shall  be construed to prohibit a person other than a common or contract
      carrier from transporting not more than eight hundred cigarettes at  any
      one time to any person in this state.
        3.  When  a person engaged in the business of selling cigarettes ships
      or causes to be shipped any cigarettes to  any  person  in  this  state,
      other  than  in  the  cigarette  manufacturer's  original  container  or
      wrapping, the container or wrapping must be plainly and  visibly  marked
      with the word "cigarettes".
        4.  Whenever  a  police  officer  designated  in  section  1.20 of the
      criminal procedure law or a peace officer designated in subdivision four
      of section 2.10 of such law, acting  pursuant  to  his  or  her  special
      duties, shall discover any cigarettes which have been or which are being
      shipped  or  transported  in  violation  of this section, such person is
      hereby empowered and authorized to seize and  take  possession  of  such
      cigarettes,  and such cigarettes shall be subject to a forfeiture action
      pursuant to the procedures provided for in  article  thirteen-A  of  the
      civil  practice  law and rules, as if such article specifically provided
      for forfeiture of cigarettes  seized  pursuant  to  this  section  as  a
      pre-conviction forfeiture crime.
        5. Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision one or two of
      this  section  shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor and for a second
      or subsequent violation shall be guilty of a class E felony. In addition
      to the criminal penalty, the commissioner may impose a civil fine not to
      exceed five thousand dollars for each such violation on any  person  who
      violates  subdivision  one  or two of this section. The commissioner may
      impose a civil fine  not  to  exceed  five  thousand  dollars  for  each
      violation  of subdivision three of this section on any person engaged in
    
      the business of selling cigarettes who ships or causes to be shipped any
      such cigarettes to any person in this state.
        * NB There are 2 § 1399-ll's