From: Food and Drug Administration | Office of Criminal Investigations
U.S. Department of Justice Press Release
Gaurav Joseph Jayaseelan, 25, a citizen of India, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas to 16 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for trafficking in counterfeit cigarettes.
***
According to the court record, including a jointly filed factual statement and statements made at the sentencing hearing, the investigation began in January 28, 2013, when a U.S. Food & Drug Administration/Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA/OCI) undercover agent met and discussed the sale of counterfeit Marlboro brand cigarettes with a middle-man. Thereafter, negotiating by email, a deal to sell and ship counterfeit Marlboro Reds, for a total cost of $377,300.00 was reached. To pursue the deal, agents made an initial wire transfer of funds to an account in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the purchase of the counterfeit cigarettes.
***
Counterfeit cigarettes, which are sold without proper registration and testing may pose a greater health risk than consumers recognize, due to the presence of contaminants either not found in products originating from the lawful manufacturers, or which are present in greater concentrations.
