by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:15 AM ET, Thu May 15, 2025
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has seized 749 cartons of illegally imported cigarettes from two passengers on a cruise ship.
CBP officers at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport discovered the cigarettes on April 17 inside 10 pieces of luggage that belonged to two female passengers traveling together on a cruise ship from Ensenada, Mexico. CBP did not reveal the name of the vessel.
The travelers presented purchase receipts, but they did not have the proper permits from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to import such a large amount of tobacco products.
They were transporting 326 cartons of Newport 100’s, 58 cartons of Newport regulars, 112 cartons of Marlboro Red, 43 cartons of Marlboro Silver and 210 cartons of Marlboro Gold cigarettes. The total value of the cigarettes is estimated to be $59,920.
“The importation of tobacco products is highly regulated from both tax and consumer safety perspectives,” says Cheryl M. Davies, CBP director of field operations in Los Angeles, in a statement. “Travelers who intentionally disregard U.S. importation laws and regulations often pay a high price.”
CBP seized all of the cartons and plans to destroy them.
“Selling illegally imported cigarettes could yield high profits for underground vendors due to the low cost of cigarettes when purchased overseas and the evasion of taxes owed upon import,” says Africa R. Bell, CBP port director of Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. “This type of scheme not only evades revenue owed to the United States but may be harmful to the American consumer. CBP officers at our nation’s largest seaport complex, remain committed to enforcing our laws and to protect the American public.”
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