Offenses relating to stamps

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(a) No person shall, with intent to defraud, alter, forge, make, or counterfeit any stamps authorized by the Mayor under this chapter; or procure or cause to be altered, forged, made, or counterfeited any such stamps; or sell, transfer, buy, receive, have in his possession, or offer to sell, transfer, buy, or receive any such altered, forged, or counterfeited stamps; or make, use, sell, transfer, buy, receive, have in his possession, or procure or cause to be made or used any equipment or material in imitation of the equipment or material used in the manufacture of such stamps.

(b) No person shall, with intent to defraud, cut, tear, or remove from any package of cigarettes, any stamp authorized by the Mayor under this chapter; or procure or cause to be cut, torn, or removed any such stamp; or sell, transfer, buy, receive, have in his possession, or offer to sell, transfer, buy, or receive any cut, torn, or removed stamp.

(c) No person shall, with intent to defraud, alter the cancellation of or otherwise prepare, or cause to be altered or otherwise prepared, any stamp which has already been used for the payment of the tax imposed by this chapter; or sell, transfer, buy, receive, have in his possession, or offer to sell, transfer, buy, or receive any such washed or restored stamp.

(d) No person shall, with intent to defraud, affix to any package of cigarettes, redeem, attempt to affix or redeem, or cause to be affixed or redeemed:

(1) Any stamp which has been cut, torn, or removed from any package of cigarettes;

(2) Any altered, forged, or counterfeited stamp; or

(3) Any washed or restored stamp.

(e) No person shall willfully sell, transfer, buy, receive, have in his possession, or offer to sell, transfer, buy, or receive any package of cigarettes to which is affixed a stamp described in subsection (d) of this section.

(f) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than the amount set forth in [§ 22-3571.01] or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.

(May 27, 1949, 63 Stat. 139, ch. 146, title VI, § 607; Mar. 10, 1982, D.C. Law 4-71, § 2, 28 DCR 5243; enacted, Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-254, § 2, 44 DCR 1575; June 11, 2013, D.C. Law 19-317, § 286(l), 60 DCR 2064.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 47-2406.

1973 Ed., § 47-2806.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 47-2409.

Effect of Amendments

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-317 substituted “not more than the amount set forth in [§ 22-3571.01]” for “not more than $10,000” in (f).

Cross References

Administrative procedure, generally, see § 2-501 et seq.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 286(l) of the Criminal Fine Proportionality Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-45, April 1, 2013, 60 DCR 5400, 20 DCSTAT 1300).

Editor's Notes

Applicability of D.C. Law 19-317: Section 401 of D.C. Law 19-317 provided that the act shall apply only to offenses committed on or after June 11, 2013.


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