Of those convicted, a number received jail sentences in excess of 3 years. Also of interest is the fact that after the project was made public, Virginia cigarette sales plunged 16 percent. The success of projects like Operation Butt-Out depend on a number of factors. Publicity for the projects, through newspapers, press conferences, and other media, is extremely important. More crucial, however, is coordination and cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies and jurisdictions involved.
Cooperation includes the sharing of information, arrests, and seized goods between states.
During the second day, conference delegates were alerted to new, emerging markets for cigarettes sales. These include international sales, foreign imports, private labels, the use of toll-free telephone numbers, Internet commerce, and tribal sales. With respect to private label brands, some small manufacturers are not making reports or are not fully reporting to state tobacco tax administrators their cigarette imports. Remote sales through toll-free telephone numbers and the Internet are also growing. Although these sales engender nexus issues for state tax enforcement, it is also important to note that these remote sellers often do not comply with federal law by notifying state tobacco tax administrators of incoming cigarette shipments when shipping cigarettes to in-state customers.