Rhode Island § 44-20-51.3 § 44-20-51.3. Counterfeit cigarettes.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 44-20-51.3 — § 44-20-51.3. Counterfeit cigarettes.

Rhode Island § 44-20-51.3

Title 44Taxation

Ch. 44-20Cigarette, Other Tobacco Products, and Electronic Nicotine-Delivery System Products

This text of Rhode Island § 44-20-51.3 (§ 44-20-51.3. Counterfeit cigarettes.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-20-51.3 (2026).

Text

§ 44-20-51.3. Counterfeit cigarettes.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the sale or possession for sale of counterfeit
            cigarettes by a manufacturer, importer, distributor, or dealer shall result in the
            seizure of the product and related machinery by the administrator or any law enforcement
            agency and shall be punishable as follows:
         
(1) A knowing violation involving a total quantity of less than two (2) cartons of cigarettes
            shall be punishable by a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or five (5) times
            the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not
   

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§ 44-20-51.3. Counterfeit cigarettes.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the sale or possession for sale of counterfeit cigarettes by a manufacturer, importer, distributor, or dealer shall result in the seizure of the product and related machinery by the administrator or any law enforcement agency and shall be punishable as follows:

(1) A knowing violation involving a total quantity of less than two (2) cartons of cigarettes shall be punishable by a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or five (5) times the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not to exceed five (5) years, or both.

(2) A subsequent knowing violation involving a total quantity of less than two (2) cartons of cigarettes shall be punishable by a fine of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or five (5) times the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not to exceed ten (10) years, or both, and shall also result in the revocation by the administrator of the manufacturer, importer, distributor, or dealer license.

(3) A first knowing violation involving a total quantity of two (2) cartons of cigarettes or more shall be punishable by a fine of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or five (5) times the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not to exceed five (5) years, or both.

(4) A subsequent knowing violation involving a quantity of two (2) cartons of cigarettes or more shall be punishable by a fine of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or five (5) times the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not to exceed fifteen (15) years, or both, and shall also result in the revocation by the administrator of the manufacturer, importer, distributor, or dealer license.

(b) For purposes of this section, counterfeit cigarettes includes cigarettes that have false manufacturing labels or packages of cigarettes bearing counterfeit tax stamps. Any counterfeit cigarettes seized by the administrator shall be destroyed.