Virginia Law

Enforcement of Illegal Sale or Distribution of Cigarettes Act

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Cigarette" means any product that contains nicotine, is intended to be burned or heated under ordinary conditions of use, and consists of or contains (i) any roll of tobacco wrapped in paper or in any substance not containing tobacco; (ii) tobacco, in any form, that is functional in the product, which, because of its appearance, the type of tobacco used in the filler, or its packaging and labeling, is likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as a cigarette; or (iii) any roll of tobacco wrapped in any substance containing tobacco which, because of its appearance, the type of tobacco used in the filler, or its packaging and labeling, is likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as a cigarette described in clause (i) of this definition.

"Department" means the Department of Taxation.

"Importer" means the same as that term is defined in 26 U.S.C. § 5702 (k).

"Package" means the same as that term is defined in 15 U.S.C. § 1332 (4).

2000, cc. 880, 901.

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to (i) cigarettes allowed to be imported or brought into the United States for personal use or (ii) cigarettes sold or intended to be sold as duty-free merchandise by a duty-free sales enterprise in accordance with the provisions of 19 U.S.C. § 1555 (b) and any implementing regulations. This section, however, shall apply to cigarettes described in clause (ii) that are brought back into the customs territory for resale within the customs territory.

2000, cc. 880, 901.

It shall be unlawful for any person to:

1. Sell or distribute in the Commonwealth, acquire, hold, own, possess, or transport, for sale or distribution in the Commonwealth, or import, or cause to be imported, into the Commonwealth for sale or distribution in the Commonwealth (i) any cigarettes the package of which bears any statement, label, stamp, sticker, or notice indicating that the manufacturer did not intend the cigarettes to be sold, distributed, or used in the United States, including but not limited to labels stating "For Export Only," "U.S. Tax-Exempt," "For Use Outside U.S.," or similar wording; (ii) any cigarettes the package of which does not comply with (a) all requirements imposed by or pursuant to federal law regarding warnings and other information on packages of cigarettes manufactured, packaged, or imported for sale, distribution, or use in the United States, including but not limited to the precise warning labels specified in the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1333, or (b) all federal trademark and copyright laws; (iii) any cigarettes imported into the United States in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5754 or 19 U.S.C. § 1681 -1681b, or any other federal law or regulations; (iv) any cigarettes that such person otherwise knows or has reason to know the manufacturer did not intend to be sold, distributed, or used in the United States; or (v) any cigarettes for which there has not been submitted to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the list or lists of the ingredients added to tobacco in the manufacture of such cigarettes required by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1335a;

2. Alter the package of any cigarettes, prior to sale or distribution to the ultimate consumer, so as to remove, conceal or obscure (i) any statement, label, stamp, sticker, or notice described in clause (i) of subdivision 1 or (ii) any health warning that is not specified in, or does not conform with the requirements of, the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1333; or

3. Affix any stamp required pursuant to Chapter 10 (§ 58.1-1000 et seq.) of this title to the package of any cigarettes described in subdivision 1 of this section or altered in violation of subdivision 2 of this section.

2000, cc. 880, 901; 2002, c. 821.

A. Any person who acquires, holds, owns, possesses, transports in or imports into the Commonwealth cigarettes which are subject to this chapter shall, with respect to such cigarettes, maintain and keep all records required pursuant to Chapter 10 (§ 58.1-1000 et seq.) of this title.

B. Between the first and tenth business day of each month, each person licensed to affix the state tax stamp to cigarettes shall file with the Department, for all cigarettes imported into the United States to which such person has affixed the tax stamp in the preceding month, (i) a copy of the permit issued pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 5713, to the person importing such cigarettes into the United States allowing such person to import such cigarettes, and the customs form containing, with respect to such cigarettes, the internal revenue tax information required by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; (ii) a statement, signed by such person under the penalty of perjury, which shall be treated as confidential by the Department and shall be exempt from disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), identifying the brand and brand styles of all such cigarettes, the quantity of each brand style of such cigarettes, the supplier of such cigarettes, and the person or persons, if any, to whom such cigarettes have been conveyed for resale; however, if such licensed person has already provided to the Department the identical information required by this clause as part of its monthly reporting required by Chapter 10 (§ 58.1-1000 et seq.) of this title, then such monthly reporting shall be deemed to have also been made simultaneously under the provisions of this clause, and duplicate copies need not be provided to the Department; and (iii) a statement, signed by an officer of the manufacturer or importer under penalty of perjury, certifying that the manufacturer or importer has complied with the package health warning and ingredient reporting requirements of the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1333 and 1335a, with respect to such cigarettes and §§ 3.2-4200 and 3.2-4201 of the Code of Virginia, including a statement indicating whether the manufacturer is, or is not, a participating tobacco manufacturer within the meaning of § 3.2-4200.

2000, cc. 880, 901; 2002, c. 821.

A. The Department may revoke or suspend the permit of any wholesale dealer, as defined in § 58.1-1000, for a violation of this chapter or any rule adopted by the Department as provided in § 58.1-1011.

B. In addition, the Department may impose a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the greater of 500 percent of the retail value of the cigarettes involved or $5,000 upon finding a violation of this chapter and may assess the tax due and any interest on the product acquired, possessed, sold, or offered for sale in violation of this chapter.

C. For the purpose of enforcing this chapter, the Department may request or share information with any federal, state or local agency, including any agency of another state or local agency thereof.

2000, cc. 880, 901.

A. Any violation of § 58.1-1033 or § 58.1-1034 shall constitute a prohibited practice as provided in § 59.1-200, and, in addition to any remedies or penalties set forth in this chapter, shall be subject to any remedies or penalties available for a violation of that section.

B. Any person who commits any of the acts prohibited by § 58.1-1033, either knowingly or having reason to know he is doing so, or who fails to comply with any of the requirements of § 58.1-1034, shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.

C. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, any person may bring an action for appropriate injunctive or other equitable relief for a violation of this chapter, for actual damages, if any, sustained by reason of the violation, and, as determined by the court, interest on the damages from the date of the complaint, and taxable costs. If the court finds that the violation was willful, it may increase damages to an amount not exceeding three times the actual damages sustained by reason of the violation.

2000, cc. 880, 901.

Cigarettes that are acquired, held, owned, possessed, transported in, imported into, or sold or distributed in the Commonwealth in violation of this chapter shall be deemed contraband and shall be subject to seizure, forfeiture, destruction, or court-ordered assignment for use by a law-enforcement undercover operation. Such cigarettes shall be deemed contraband whether or not the violation of this chapter is with knowledge.

2000, cc. 880, 901; 2012, cc. 362, 472.