[fruser1]

Nice. So, tax the hell out of smokes so illicit trade increases. Then, have an enforcement agent set up stings. Then pocket the cash from your sting.

I'm more and more convinced that the government itself is violating RICO statutes.

Oh, I forgot, the law doesn't apply to the ruling class.

[txrefugee]

Sounds like the crooks at the ATF needed to make some extra cash after selling guns to the Mexican drug cartels. There are so many criminals in our government agencies now that we can’t prosecute them all.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

So if I profit from selling un-taxed cigarettes I’m a criminal but if the ATF does that’s a good thing?

[Flick Lives]

In one case, agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sold $15 million in cigarettes and later turned over $4.9 million in profits from the sales to a confidential informant — even though the agency did not properly account for the transaction.

A tiny example of the corruption and incompetence of the Feds. I can't wait 'til they "fix" the healthcare system.

[beef]

How much you want to bet they were all Newports?

[S.O.S121.500]

“F Troop”? Naw, they wouldn’t. Yep, Still FUBAR Keystone Fosdicks.

[Artie]

I’m not a math major, but 420 million cigarettes is about 2.1 million cartons. What kind of storage facility does one need to hide 2.1 million cartons?

[Brad from Tennessee]

And the IRS is “missing” $67 million intended to implement ObamaCare. When Obama took office a Chicago-based criminal cabal took control of the federal government. Beginning with the Stimulus Act I believe billions are being stolen from the taxpayers.

[aomagrat]

Paging Axel Foley.

[Rocky]

Fast and Furious II: Smokey and the Bunglers

[tumblindice]

Agent Ness: “Rico, spot me a smoke.”
Agent Rico: “I don’t got any, boss.”
Agent Ness: “Wait a second. We confiscated 420 million of them just last week!”
Agent Rico: “I thought you had them.”

[Doogle]

....elect a street organizer from Chicago who’s political career is shady at best, add the constant corruption and incompetence of DC to expect things not to lead to crime is foolish. The s*** rolls down from the top, in the current form, it’s being thrown. We all saw it from the very beginning, how he handled and extorted BP (20 BILLION)...to the take over of GM and the thief of investments...if anything it has gotten much worst.

[Stosh]

Did they look between the cushions of their couch?

(”misplaced” - yeah, right)

[arthurus]

Lost track of them hell! They sold them!

[yldstrk]

graft corruption

our government stinks at every level

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

:: undercover operations that use proceeds from illicit cigarette sales to pay for the ATF’s costs. ::

Had to stop and consider this sentence for a moment.

This section of a legitimate agency is being funded by revenue from illegal sales.

How, then, is the ATF different from gang-bangers (or Al Capone for that matter?)

[Hardastarboard]

So, tax the hell out of smokes so illicit trade increases.

Nobody, nobody, saw that coming. /BITTER, BITTER SARC

There have been economic treatises written about how there is an almost direct correlation between cigarette taxes and black market smuggling. But you have to have studied economics, or even have a passing interest in economics, to understand that, which leaves out all Democrats, and most Republicans.

[Jack Hydrazine]

SAM as in Uncle Sam stands for Socially Acceptable Mafia.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Prohibition redux, on this time it's tobacco.

Times may change, but revenue agents remain corrupt.

[UCANSEE2]

Up in Smoke.

[SampleMan]

They probably had extra room in the back of the train of weapons they were sending to Mexico. So why not fill it up with some cheap cigs?

Our government at work.