Two men, stopped on suspicion of human trafficking of three migrants, are detained by the U.S. Border Patrol on Feb. 17, 2023, in Hereford. The driver, at center in gray, drove his mother's car from California and stopped to pick up the migrants on the side of the highway in front of a Border Patrol agent, authorities said. At100015 Copy
Long Beach, California – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers intercepted a significant shipment of undeclared and illegally imported cigarettes at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, uncovering 749 cartons concealed in 10 pieces of luggage belonging to two female cruise passengers arriving from Ensenada, Mexico.
The incident occurred on April 17, when the two women disembarked at the Long Beach Cruise Ship Terminal and submitted to a routine CBP inspection. Officers became suspicious after noticing an unusually large amount of luggage accompanying the pair. Upon examination, they discovered all 10 bags were packed with cartons of cigarettes, which the travelers attempted to present as personal use by showing purchase receipts.
However, CBP officials quickly determined that the quantity exceeded personal use limits and was considered a commercial import under U.S. law. The travelers could not provide the necessary permits required by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for importing such quantities. Additionally, the packaging on the cigarette cartons failed to meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling standards, such as required nicotine warnings and accurate product descriptions.
Among the confiscated cigarettes were 326 cartons of Newport 100’s, 58 of Newport regulars, 112 of Marlboro Red, 43 of Marlboro Silver, and 210 of Marlboro Gold. Based on conservative retail pricing of $80 per carton in California, CBP estimated the total value of the smuggled cigarettes at $59,920.
“The importation of tobacco products is highly regulated from both tax and consumer safety perspectives,” said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “Travelers who intentionally disregard U.S. importation laws and regulations often pay a high price.”
CBP officials say such schemes can offer lucrative rewards to underground vendors who smuggle cheaper cigarettes from abroad, sidestepping federal and state taxes. “Selling illegally imported cigarettes could yield high profits due to the evasion of taxes owed upon import,” said Africa R. Bell, Port Director of the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. “This type of scheme not only evades revenue owed to the United States but may be harmful to the American consumer.”
All 749 cartons were seized and will be destroyed under CBP supervision.
CBP has not released the travelers’ names, and no charges have been announced at this time. The agency emphasized its ongoing commitment to protecting public health and enforcing federal importation laws at the nation’s busiest ports.
