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In reply to the discussion: NYT to NYPD: 1. Don’t violate the Constitution. 2. Don’t kill unarmed people. 3. Do your jobs. [View all]TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)everything to do with taxes. Over half of the cigarettes sold in New York City are smuggled in from other states. These are resold by street vendors as well as in regular brick and mortar establishments. It's a multi-million dollar black market.
http://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-new-strike-force-crack-down-illegal-cigarette-and-tobacco-trafficking
http://nypost.com/2014/07/14/state-confiscating-thousands-of-illegal-cigarettes/
According to the above article, a pack of cigarettes is taxed in Missouri at a rate of only 17 cents. New York - more than FIVE dollars a pack. That's a huge difference for anyone who has a pack-a-day habit, and a big reason for the thriving black market. It's definitely not just a few teens driving this market.