CENTRAL SQUARE, NY — A traffic stop on Interstate 81 led to the seizure of approximately 874,000 untaxed cigarettes and the arrest of a northern New York man.
Fabian M. Hart, 67, of Bombay, was charged with two felony counts under New York State Tax Law following the Monday afternoon incident.
Members of the New York State Police Troop D Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit, and the United States Border Patrol Smuggling/Targeting Unit were conducting a targeted enforcement detail in Jefferson and Oswego Counties when they observed a gray 2024 Ford F-350 towing an enclosed trailer traveling southbound on Interstate 81 near the Central Square exit at approximately 4:40 p.m.
The vehicle failed to comply with New York State’s Move Over Law, and a traffic stop was initiated.
A United States Border Patrol K9 conducted an exterior scan of the vehicle and trailer and alerted to the presence of contraband.
A subsequent search revealed the untaxed cigarettes contained in multiple cardboard boxes.
Hart was charged with New York State Tax Law § 1814 C2, a Class D felony, and New York State Tax Law § 1814 A1, a Class E felony.
He was processed and transported to the Oswego County Correctional Facility, where he was being held pending arraignment.
The seized cigarettes are estimated to have a street value of $350,000, with an associated tax evasion value of $500,000.
