A. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to ship, transport, receive, possess, sell, distribute or purchase contraband tobacco products. Any person who engages in shipping, transporting, receiving, possessing, selling, distributing or purchasing contraband tobacco products shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00). Any person convicted of a second or subsequent violation hereof shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), by a term of imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not more than two (2) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
B. Any person who knowingly engages in shipping, transporting, receiving, possessing, selling, distributing or purchasing contraband tobacco products shall be subject to the forfeiture of property as is provided by Section 417 of this title and assessment of penalty as provided thereby and assessment for any delinquent taxes found to be owing.
Added by Laws 1992, c. 339, § 10, eff. Jan. 1, 1993. Amended by Laws 1997, c. 133, § 558, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 407, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2009, c. 434, § 20, eff. Jan. 1, 2010; Laws 2021, c. 385, § 24, eff. July 1, 2021.
NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 558 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.