Philip Morris Counterfeit Marlboro Lawsuit: Philip Morris USA is accusing 10 New York and New Jersey retailers of selling counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes.

Reyes Grocery Store and Sunny’s Supermarket, in Newark, are among the defendants named in litigation brought by the tobacco company.

The Henrico County-based cigarette-maker has monitored retail markets for years to keep fake versions of its brands off store shelves.

Since May of this year, Philip Morris has filed 27 lawsuits alleging sales of counterfeit cigarettes by retailers in New York and New Jersey.

For Philip Morris, the stakes are simple. In addition to the lost sales, the company doesn’t want smokers buying a pack of Marlboros and thinking they don’t taste the same, said company spokesman David Sutton.

In addition to selling products with bogus branding, the state and federal taxes were not properly paid on the cigarettes.

“The sale of untaxed cigarettes harms legitimate wholesale and retail businesses and costs New York and New Jersey needed tax revenues that could be used to support essential public services,” Sutton said.

source: http://www.postchronicle.com

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