Customs, AG still investigating illegal smokes

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.