Tobacco Documents Online

FOUNDED 1801. THE OLQESI' GOiT'INEOUSLI' i't:f1l I.1IIF.U U11LY IN THE UNI'1't:U STA'fES.. i voi. 175 No. 49 NEW YORK, THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1976 C 1976 The New York Post Corporation 25 Cenfs ._..--- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -.. : .. NEW YORK PE9St. THURSDAY, JANUARY By JAINE PDTiLF.Z Look at your pack of ciyarets. If you bought them anywhc•re in h'ew l'o: k State, there is a 50 per cent chance they are contraband. That is the estimate of the state T;il:ation and Finance D,,;.t. which is calling for get-tuu_;h le};is:at:on against "tobacco rackeceers." To dramatize an "alarmin~ lr.crease in c:garet highjacl:- !rs and bootlegging conciuct- e<! by o: ganizc i crinie," State SRo~~ M. Goolintan (P- l~a;..' ir.v;ted five tobacco di.tribut;ng pre-s confer state's ciga executives to a ence today In the ret contraband ~,atat in th e World Trade ~ 1 - Center. 1t`caring blici; hoods to ' i t - .,. :, -... den:i ics from the Xde their °r:.r:.eteers," the five men x:idd their distribution trucks in the city had beon hijacked and their warehouses ran- fzzSE9E0 ~ 3 ~ :. ...,r. .,. ..:. Five wholesale tobaeeo distributorg, wearing black masks to protcclt their identities, conference t4xiay with State Sen. Itoy Ai. Goodman. ' ec.oS~ ~ '~~Aa.RKET i ' ),i . ~ ~ i1 Sa ,1~`. teli of hija clci,t;;s at a pres3 Post Photo by Tony Catyacca . The incentive to buy ean- traband cigarets has tkvn sPucrcd by the tax, Go%su-nau said. "Racketeers have netted $500 milliun in the past decafie, and now reap" the profits, at the rate of $1 ma- lion awec;{, from one of every- t+xa ciga:-et sales :n New York," lie said. He charged that the $1. million went "directly into the hands of organ~ed crime." /'~- Goodman. with the h3-:'c- ing of the' Taxaaon and Fi- nance Dept., is intrcriucin- leFislation in Alhar.y tn'1 e-1 up the enforcement person- nel of the department. He also wants bootleg--_in- of 10,000 or more car-to ns pun- ishable by up to five years in • ja il and seeks a one-year sacked since their support o.' legal traders. . this month's incre.zse in the 1074 legislation aimed at tl-; According . to .doodman, city sales ta.lc to 8 per sent has meant more profits for ' trial suspension of the city's- - bootleggers and hijackers. eig .t cent per pack tay-