Herb Kohl: “I thank my colleagues for supporting S.1147, the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking, PACT, Act. The PACT Act closes…”

“I thank my colleagues for supporting S.1147, the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking, PACT, Act. The PACT Act closes loopholes in current tobacco trafficking laws, enhances penalties for violations, and provides law enforcement with new tools to combat the innovative methods being used by cigarette traffickers to distribute their products. With its passage, we cut off a source of funding for terrorists and criminals raise more money, enhance states' ability to collect significant amounts of tax revenue, and further limit kids from easy access to tobacco products sold over the internet. By passing this bill, we are solving a serious problem that is growing every day. In 1998, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, BATFE, had six active tobacco smuggling investigations. Today there are more than 400 active tobacco smuggling investigations. Last November, BATFE announced that they were charging 14 people with paying over $8 million, nearly 40 firearms, and drugs to purchase more than 77 million contraband cigarettes to sell in New York. Moreover, two of the conspirators were also charged with hiring a hitman to kill two people they believed to be stealing contraband cigarettes. The problem is significant, and today we are giving law enforcement the additional tools they need to root out and end cigarette trafficking and related crimes.”