new here and some news on counterfeit cigars...

hl8 · December 16, 2005

Hi,

New here from South Florida. Thought I share some news on counterfit cigars.

Regards and happy holidays to all;

HL8

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Police: Cigar Counterfeiting Operation Cost Industry Millions

8 Charged With Selling Bogus Cigars Under Brand Names

POSTED: 7:17 pm EST December 15, 2005

UPDATED: 7:22 pm EST December 15, 2005

MIAMI -- Investigators say eight people were involved in a cigar counterfeiting ring that cost the cigar industry millions.

The Miami-Dade Police Department, in conjunction with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspectors Office, says a six-month long investigation led to the arrest of 8 individuals as well as the seizure of over $100,000 in counterfeits goods.

According to investigators, those arrested were counterfeiting cigars, cigar bands and cigar boxes. They would then sell the cigars locally and around the country as Monte Cristo, H. Upmann, Romeo y Julieta and other trademarked name brands.

Investigators said the counterfeiting operation cost the legitimate cigar industry millions per year in losses.

Those arrested are:

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# Adalberto Gruz, 39, of Miami

# Hugo Endemano Portal, 41, of Miami

# Miguel Guerra, 62, of Miami

# Filiberto Marimon, 65, of Miami

# Juan Penton, 43, of Hialeah

# Michel Rodriguez, 32, of Miami

# Georgina Pacheco, 54, of Miami

Lauro Perez, 62, of Miami

They are charged with forging or counterfeiting private labels and vending goods with counterfeit trademarks.

Tampa1257 · December 18, 2005

It looks like what brought them down was the Tax evation because they were using Counterfeit Cigar Bands that were Trademarked by a Company here in the US. If you watch the film clip below, they mention that the amount of product is quite a bit larger than initially reported, like $20,000,000 worth of Counterfeited Cuban Cigars.

[link]http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sfl-1215cigarring-video,0,1889126.wmvfile?coll=sfl-video-reports [/link]