Muhammad Mushtaq Balaparaya, Contraband Smokeless Tobacco, Massachusetts 2021

A Westborough man was sentenced to prison for trafficking contraband smokeless tobacco into Massachusetts. Muhammad Mushtaq Balaparaya, 60, was the mastermind behind the operation.

Balaparaya was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in contraband smokeless tobacco in April 2021.

The crime dates back to between February 2014 and April 2018, during which time Balaparaya transported over 500 units of contraband smokeless tobacco into Massachusetts from Pennsylvania. He obtained the contraband in Pennsylvania, but was not licensed to sell or distribute tobacco products in Massachusetts.

Balaparaya was also not paying the required excise tax on the smokeless tobacco products that were seized from him. This lack of compliance with federal law added to the severity of his crimes.

The case was announced by United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case. The guilty plea and subsequent sentence bring an end to Balaparaya’s involvement in the trafficking of contraband smokeless tobacco.

Residents of Massachusetts can breathe a sigh of relief now that Balaparaya is behind bars. His crimes put the health and well-being of many at risk, and his sentence serves as a warning to others who would engage in similar activities.

The case is a reminder that law enforcement is committed to protecting the citizens of Massachusetts from the dangers of contraband smokeless tobacco and other illicit substances.

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