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 TRENTON
-- State Treasurer John E. McCormac today praised the Division of
Taxation’s Office of Criminal Investigation, Mansfield Township
Police, and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office for uncovering
and prosecuting a $1.9 million counterfeit cigarette smuggling operation
that ended with the sentencing of two men to State prison terms.
Nhi L. Wiget, 47, of South El Monte, Calif. and Kenny Choi, 41, of
Pomona, pleaded guilty on March 29 to charges of failure to pay or
turnover taxes and to the possession of counterfeit cigarettes. On
Friday, Oct. 29, Burlington County Superior Court Judge John Almeida
sentenced Wiget to five years in prison for his role in the scheme.
Choi was sentenced to three years in prison.
The two men were also ordered to pay $797,946 in restitution, which
represents the amount of lost tax revenue to the State of New Jersey.
Choi and Wiget, were arrested on Oct. 15, 2003 by Mansfield Police
officers working a commercial vehicle inspection detail on Route
206. After discovering a significant quantity of unstamped cigarette
packages in the rented box truck the men were traveling in, police
contacted Taxation investigators. Following forensic tests at the
scene, investigators determined the cigarettes were counterfeit,
which means the legitimate trademark holder did not manufacture them.
Cigarettes that do not bear the required New Jersey tax stamps are
contraband and subject to forfeiture.
Investigators found 22,750 cartons of unstamped cigarettes in the
truck and also seized 10,800 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes at a
commercial storage facility in Tabernacle Township. The untaxed cigarettes
have a retail value of $1.9 million.
“This case could not have happened without the teamwork between
local and State law enforcement,” said Treasurer McCormac. “This
case represents the successful response of law enforcement to the challenge
of combating the large scale importation of counterfeit cigarettes.”
Taxation Division
Director Robert Thompson complimented the investigative team lead
by Susan Kane, Chief of Operations of the Office of Criminal
Investigation, Mansfield Police and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s
Office for bringing the case to a successful conclusion.
“This sentencing sends a clear and convincing message to anyone
attempting to defraud the State and its taxpayers,” said Thompson. “Tax
evasion will be investigated and prosecuted no matter what form it
takes.”
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