BREWSTER – State authorities have arrested a Danbury, Connecticut woman for possessing 765 cartons of untaxed cigarettes in her business in Brewster.
Police said Shelley Wright, 38, owns Towne Centre Tobacco on Route 22 in Brewster where they seized the cigarettes and 3,137 untaxed cigars, along with 60 pounds of untaxed loose tobacco. The business’ license to sell cigarettes and tobacco products was suspended as a result.
Wright was charged with several counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument for possessing counterfeit tax stamps, as well as possession of untaxed cigarettes for the purpose of sale, and criminal tax fraud, all as felonies.
Working with Homeland Security and State Police, the tax department determined Wright was receiving the illegal products at her shop through the mail. Some of the illegal cigarettes were shipped in boxes labeled as children’s toys and were delivered with the counterfeit stamps already on them.
All cigarette packs sold in New York must have legal state cigarette tax stamps on the bottom.
Central Hudson to resume collections after four-year pause
April 19, 2024
