There were three each in Woodford and Madison counties and two in Scott County, Robinson said. David Herald, assistant director of special operations for the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Enforcement agency, a participant in the investigations. But the people who were arrested were at the bottom rung of the organizations, he said. Just like a pack mule, you load them up and send them off. They are the low-pay, expendable people.
Authorities have no idea how many cartons reach their destinations.
Three or four of those arrested have pleaded guilty, while the rest face federal charges of trafficking in contraband cigarettes. The smuggling operations often have their origins in Southeastern states that don't require that a stamp be affixed to cigarette packs to show that the state tax has been paid, Robinson said. The price may match the going rate for cigarettes or sell slightly below, Robinson said. David Strachan, president of the American Wholesale Marketers Association in Washington, D.C., said smuggling has been a long-running problem that has worsened as cigarette prices rise and the disparity in state taxes widens. The smuggling pipeline apparently shifted to Kentucky after enforcement was stepped up in neighboring states, Robinson said.