Businesses that sell cigarettes without paying Cook County taxes are being targeted in a new offensive by Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Sheriff Tom Dart.
In the past three weeks, county revenue investigators teamed with sheriff’s police officers to confiscate more than $353,000 in illegal cigarettes, slapping down 120 citations to business owners worth more than $400,000 in fines.
“This is not an insignificant offense,” Preckwinkle said Friday. “We are taking this very seriously.”
Indeed, the county has increased its number of investigative teams from two to five, with plans to double the number of teams by next year.
Cook has a $2-per-pack tobacco tax, resulting in more than $120 million a year in cigarette taxes.But county officials think they can do better: In 2006, the county raked in more than $200 million in tobacco taxes.
A pack of cigarettes in Chicago contains $3.66 in state, county and city taxes, according to Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The high prices has lead to scofflaws and below-board businesses, officials said.
The investigative teams fanned across the country checking mom-and-pop shops, convenience stores and other retailers for receipts and county tax stamps, which are found on each pack.
Dart said the amount of money brought in by investigators in just three weeks is telling. “The numbers are somewhat staggering,” he said.
Preckwinkle said the county will operate a tip hotline for residents to notify authorities of illegal cigarette sales: 312-603-6870, Extension 3. Successful tips will lead to rewards of up to $1,000.
Dart said sheriff’s police also will begin making checks at stores as part of their patrols.
“It’s going to exponentially increase rather quickly,” he said.
