See 6,000 Illegal Smokes? Call Peter Franchot

If you see something—for example, 6,000 packs of cigarettes in the back of a car—say something.

Specifically, Comptroller Peter Franchot wants you to give him a ring.

The comptroller was in Towson Thursday calling attention to the that have not been taxed in Maryland.

Franchot said lax criminal penalties and high profit margins for smugglers is causing a spike in the trafficking of smokes up the I-95 corridor from places like Virginia and North Carolina where the taxes on a pack are substantially lower than in Maryland.

The comptroller called on the public to keep a vigilant eye out for motorists who might have a few more cigarettes than the typical chain-smoker.

Two weeks ago, police during traffic stops along I-95 near White Marsh, including more than 3,100 that were inside a Honda Accord

"If you happen to look in someone's car and you see 6,000 packs of cigarettes in the back seat, could you call my office?" Franchot said. "We would like to ask those people what the story is."

Don't bother calling if the driver is Keith Richards.

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