'Roll Your Own' Search Seizes Loose Tobacco, Untaxed Cigarettes, Pot

KINGSTON, NY — Search warrants executed in the Hudson Valley and Capital Region at four locations netted hundreds of pounds of loose tobacco, untaxed cigarettes and cigars, roll-your-own machines and more than 50 pounds of illegal cannabis.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, along with the New York State Police, announced the Roll Your Own searches that took place Wednesday at four locations:

• Smoke Shop of Jing Inc., 214 Kingston Plaza Rd, Kingston
• Smoke Shop Huang Inc., 1554 Central Ave., Albany
• Smoke Shop of Mei Inc., 365 Feura Bush Rd., Glenmont
• Rolling R Inc., 564 Hoosick St., Troy

Investigators seized 74 cartons of pre-rolled untaxed cigarettes, more than 14 cartons of out-of-state untaxed cigarettes, 10,675 untaxed cigars, nearly 565 pounds of untaxed loose tobacco, 13 roll-your-own machines and 57 pounds of illegal cannabis.

Authorities said each of the locations also lost its license to sell cigarette and tobacco products.

Jing Yang, 33, was arrested and charged with possession of untaxed cigarettes. He is expected to appear in the City of Kingston Court Sept. 21.

Yuqing Huang, 44, was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal possession of a cannabis and first-degree criminal sale of cannabis, felonies. he was also charged with possession of untaxed cigarettes and untaxed cigars. He is expected to appear in the Colonie Town Court Sept. 14.

"Those who evade our cigarette and tobacco tax laws deprive communities and the state of revenue needed for vital services and put honest businesses at a competitive disadvantage," said Amanda Hiller, the acting commissioner of taxation and finance.