Cigarette taxes are up - so is smuggling

Md. officials report 46,000 packs seized

Working with an agent from the Richmond office of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, they confiscated the load, worth $40,000, after stopping Peleshenko on the Washington Beltway at Allentown Road in Prince George's County.

Kelly said agents don't always know the smugglers' destinations. They may be driving to New York City, where the tax on a pack is a whopping $4.25, or staying in Maryland.

Less likely destinations would be neighboring West Virginia and Delaware, where taxes are 55 cents and $1.15 a pack, respectively.

Under the law, Maryland residents can bring into the state only two packs of cigarettes not taxed here.

Nonresidents are limited to one carton of cigarettes, and they must be passing through the state.

Peleshenko, who faces a felony charge of transporting contraband cigarettes and a misdemeanor charge of possessing contraband, declined to answer questions about the case when reached at his home this week.

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Sun reporter Liz Atwood contributed to this article.