Over 30,000 Illegal Cigarettes Seized In Skokie

SKOKIE, IL – In what Cook County officials called the largest cigarette bust this year, undercover tax inspectors discovered that a Skokie tobacco shop had three hidden compartments containing tens of thousands of illegal smokes. Sheriff's police and Department of Revenue agents raided Skokie Discount Tobacco, 4019 Oakton St., after an undercover investigator following up on a tip bought an unstamped pack of cigarettes there Thursday. Revenue department investigators returned to the store and saw the "clerk closing a concealed wall compartment in an attempt to hide the illegal cigarettes," according to a news release from the Cook County Board President's office.

On top of more than $47,000 in fines, criminal charges were recommended for two people "due to the exceptionally large quantity" of illegal cigarettes, the release said. However, a spokesperson for the Cook County Sheriff's office said criminal charges were rejected by prosecutors. Once the business owner, Ramadan Darsaleh, arrived at the store, a remote control device was used to open the hidden compartment, revealing 1,258 packs of unstamped cigarettes.

There was also another wireless remote controller inside the hidden compartment, which opened a second hidden area near the cash register inside the countertop. Agents found another 303 packs of unstamped cigarettes inside the second hidden area. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Skokie — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle described the raid as an exampled of increased efforts by Department of Revenue to fight a "sly and sophisticated tobacco black market and make sure all tax revenue is collected."

“Beneath floorboards, concealed by hidden compartments or behind false walls accessed by garage door openers, Cook County Department of Revenue investigators have seen it all when it comes to hiding illegal cigarettes," Preckwinkle said.

So far in 2017, revenue department investigators and Sherrif's police have confiscated more than 12,800 unstamped cigarettes, according to the release.

"We are grateful for the Sheriff’s assistance in these efforts to ensure that businesses throughout Cook County are compliant with our ordinances and properly remitting required payments," Preckwinkle said.

The county has tripled the number of tobacco inspections have tripled and nearly doubled the number of citations it has issued since 2013. County officials expect to collect $127 million in cigarette tax revenue in 2017.

Under the county's tobacco ordinance, there is a $1,000 fine for every unstamped pack of cigarettes up to 40, and a $25 per pack for each additional pack. Skokie Discount Tobacco was not only assessed that penalty but an additional $2,000, since it had previously been cited for the same offense, the release said. The business was also fined $2,000 for "concealment" along with an additional $4,000 because it had already been cited for this violation.

Because criminal charges have been rejected, only civil penalties will be assessed.

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