RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) -
Virginia could also toughen its laws on cigarette smuggling.
The State Crime Commission is recommending that traffickers caught with more than 500 cartons of taxed cigarettes be charged with a felony.
Traffickers caught twice with 25 cartons could also face a felony if the General Assembly moves forward with the changes.
States - including Virginia - are losing millions in tax dollars to the black market. Smugglers can buy cigarettes in Virginia, where the tobacco tax is among the nation's lowest, and sell them for a huge profit on the street in New York City.
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