ATF ARRESTS 13 IN SCAM OFFICIALS: SUSPECTS SKIRTED TOBACCO TAX.Byline: Staff and Wire Services GLENDALE - More than a dozen people were in federal custody Thursday, accused of operating a coast-to-coast smuggling smuggling, illegal transport across state or national boundaries of goods or persons liable to customs or to prohibition. Smuggling has been carried on in nearly all nations and has occasionally been adopted as an instrument of national policy, as by Great Britain ring that handled nearly $20 million worth of contraband contraband, in international law, goods necessary or useful in the prosecution of war that a belligerent may lawfully seize from a neutral who is attempting to deliver them to the enemy. cigarettes. The ring allegedly defrauded California out of $4.7 million in taxes, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Special Agent Latrese Baker of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The ATF ATF Molecular virology Activating transcription factor A cellular protein that stimulates transcription of adenovirus E4 transcription unit, which acts early in infection at any of several 'enhancer' binding sites alleges that the 13 people involved in the ring used large sums of cash to purchase untaxed Adj. 1. untaxed - (of goods or funds) not taxed; "tax-exempt bonds"; "an untaxed expense account" tax-exempt, tax-free nontaxable, exempt - (of goods or funds) not subject to taxation; "the funds of nonprofit organizations are nontaxable"; "income exempt cigarettes in Virginia, then sold them in California and elsewhere, thus avoiding state taxes. Each of the suspects has been charged with conspiracy to possess and transport contraband cigarettes. ``This is one of the largest cigarette-smuggling rings we have ever uncovered,'' Baker said. ``They deprived the state of a significant fiscal amount in unpaid taxes.'' Culminating a 2 1/2-year investigation, ATF agents served arrest warrants Wednesday and seized financial ``instruments'' worth about $5.2 million. They also seized $350,000 in cash, $2.1 million in brand-name cigarettes, about 700,000 counterfeit state tax stamps, about $93,000 in counterfeit cigarettes and two tractor-trailers. Arrested Wednesday were Rene Khaja, 30; Suren Ambarchyan, 28; and Henri Minassian, 28, all of Glendale, Baker said. Federal agents also raided Country Home Tobacco in Monterey Park Monterey Park, city (1990 pop. 60,738), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a growing residential suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1916. It is a wholesale, retail, and financial services center. , and arrested John Kamar, 35, and Mikhael Kamar, 39. Eight other suspects also were arrested Wednesday, but it was unclear where they lived. They were identified as Vicken Djeredjian, 30, also known as Vick Gregg or Vic Deere; Akop Chickyan, 31; Mnatsakan Grigorian, 37, also known as Miatskan Zakevich Grigoryar or Mike Grigoyan; Mirakyan Masis, 55; Armen Grigoryan, 25; Georgiv Grigoryan, 25; Manvel Iskandaryan, 44, also known as ``Bear''; and Albert Asatryan, 46. Also named in the indictments were Grand Distribution Co. USA Inc. and Pro-Cal Transportation Inc., also known as Grace Way, according to court documents. |
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