by Nick Delgado
Guam - It's been almost one year and Guam Customs agents and
the Attorney General's Office still haven't released further information or
details about what they plan to do about illegal cigarettes found in several
stores on island. It was ten months ago KUAM News found a couple Dededo stores
selling the cigarettes labeled as made in the Philippines, reading, "For
domestic sale only and not export".
The businesses were also selling the smokes without charging
the mandated taxes. Customs spokesperson Lt. Ferdinand Soriano says these items
are usually found during high peak travel seasons including Christmas. "As far
as through the port of entries here for at least the customs point of view, we
haven't seen any type of large quantities being brought in but rest assured
that our office is working diligently, we haven't had any type of major
operational changes regarding that particular find in Saipan, so everything is
business as usual," he said.
It was last week Customs agents in the CNMI found and
confiscated more than 2,000 cartons of the prohibited cigarettes.
