LAKE COUNTY, Ind. (Dec. 17) – Indiana State Excise Police officers cited 30 businesses on 82 tobacco-related charges in Lake County yesterday.
Excise officers were investigating a complaint that numerous tobacco businesses in Lake County were illegally purchasing cigarettes and other tobacco products from sources other than licensed tobacco distributors.
As a result of their investigations, excise officers preliminarily cited 30 tobacco businesses with 82 violations of state tobacco laws (list attached). Officers seized numerous packs of cigarettes, marijuana and prescription drugs. They also issued tickets to individuals for possession of marijuana and for smoking in a prohibited location. Additional drug-related charges are also pending.
Anyone with information concerning violations of Indiana’s tobacco laws should contact the State Excise Police at 574-264-9480.
As the enforcement division of the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, the primary mission of the Indiana State Excise Police is to promote public safety by enforcing Indiana’s Alcoholic Beverage Code. While excise officers have the authority to enforce any state law, they focus primarily on alcohol, tobacco and related laws.
Criminal Charges: All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Administrative Charges: All respondents are to be presumed not liable until, and unless, the plaintiff can prove by preponderance of the evidence the respondent’s liability in an administrative hearing.
LOCATIONS CITED DURING TOBACCO COMPLAINT INVESTIGATIONS (12/16/2013)
All respondents are to be presumed not liable until, and unless, the plaintiff can prove by preponderance of the evidence the respondent’s liability in an administrative hearing.
1. GRANT MINI FOOD MART 1500 GRANT STREET GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO ENTRY SIGN, NO “NO SMOKING” SIGNS, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL
2. GRANT MOBILE 2081 GRANT STREET GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN, SINGLE SALES OF CIGARETTES EVIDENCE SEIZED: 5 OPEN PACKS OF CIGARETTES
3. GRANT GOLO 2295 GRANT STREET GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, PROHIBITED SMOKING, REMOVAL OF PARAPHERNALIA, NO ENTRY SIGN, NO “NO SMOKING SIGN” CRIMINAL CHARGES: DEVEA NELSON, GARY, INDIANA, CITED WITH SMOKING IN A PROHIBITED LOCATION.
4. DIAMOND GAS 3118 W. 15TH AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: SALE OF SINGLE CIGARETTES, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN EVIDENCE SEIZED: TWO OPEN PACKS OF CIGARETTES, ONE SWISHER SWEETSBOX CONTAINING SINGLE CIGS.
5. CLARK CITGO 1485 CLARK RD GARY INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN
6. GO-LO 1101 CLARK ROAD GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: PROHIBITED SMOKING, REMOVAL OF PARAPHERNALIA, NO ENTRY SIGN, NO “NO SMOKING” SIGN, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, FAILURE TO DISPLAY TOBACCO SALES CERTIFICATE 7. V MART 2490 CLARK ROAD GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO ENTRY SIGN, NO “NO SMOKING SIGN”, PROHIBITED SMOKING, REMOVAL OF PARAPHERNALIA, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL
8. 15TH AVE. SUPER DUPER 5390 W. 15TH STREET GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL
9. GARY GAS CENTER 600 E. 21ST AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN, NO “NO SMOKING SIGN”
10. MARATHON FOOD CENTER 1001 E. 21ST AVE. GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN
11. CLARK GAS AND FOOD MART 2725 W. 5TH AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, SALE OF SINGLE CIGS, NO “NO SMOKING” SIGN EVIDENCE SEIZED: 1 PACK OF NEWPORT CIGARETTES
12. GREEN SAVE FUEL 4601 W. 5TH AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN
13. FIFTH AND CHASE 3101 W. 5TH AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO “NO SMOKING SIGN”, REMOVAL OF PARAPHERNALIA 14. CITGO 901 e. 5TH AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN, NO ENTRY SIGN, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL CRMINAL CHARGES: POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA EVIDENCE SEIZED: 7 HAND ROLLED CIGARETTES CONTAINING GREEN PLANT MATERIAL
15. PHILLIPS 66 6201 W. 5TH AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN, SALE OF SINGLE CIGARETTES EVIDENCE SEIZED: TWO OPEN PACKS OF CIGARETTES
16. YASH FUEL AND FOOD 2100 VIGINIA AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, SALE OF SINGLE CIGARETTES
17. SHAMSAN FOOD MART 1501 BROADWAY GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL
18. BROADWAY GO-LO 1489 BROADWAY GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL
19. BROADWAY GAS 4700 BROADWAY GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN
20. BROADWAY MARATHON 2500 BROADWAY GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, PROHIBITED SMOKING, REMOVAL OF PARAPHERNALIA
21. CITGO 4890 BROADWAY GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO “NO SMOKING” SIGN, NO ENTRY SIGN 22. SAVE 3479 GEORGIA ST GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, FAILURE TO DISPLAY TOBACCO SALES CERTIFICATE, FAILURE TO DISPLAY ALCOHOL PERMIT
23. HARRISON CONVENIENCE 1564 HARRISON BLVD GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN, NO ENTRY SIGN, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, REMOVAL OF PARAPHERNALIA, PROHIBITED SMOKING, FAILURE TO DISPLAY CERTIFICATE
24. PHILLIPS 66 4575 W. 37TH AVE HOBART, IN CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN
25. MARATHON 7995 E. RIDGE RD HOBART, IN CHARGES: PROHIBITED SMOKING, NO “NO SMOKING” SIGN, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN
26. 7 ELEPHANTS 2930 DEKALB ST LAKE STATION, IN CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL
27. LAKE STATION MARATHON 595 CENTRAL AVE LAKE STATION, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN, NO “NO SMOKING” SIGN, PROHIBITED SMOKING
28. SAM’S MARATHON 4450 CALUMET AVE HAMMOND, INDIANA CHARGES: NO 18 TO PURCHASE SIGN, TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN 29. GOLO 7305 KENNEDY AVE HAMMOND, INDIANA CHARGES: TOBACCO RETAIL TO RETAIL, NO ENTRY SIGN CRIMINAL CHARGES: POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE EVIDENCE SEIZED: 105 PRESCRIPTION PILLS
30. MARATHON FOOD CENTER 1001 E. 21ST AVE GARY, INDIANA CHARGES: SALE OF SINGLE CIGARETTES
