A federal judge has handed down a one-year probation sentence to Shameka Mallory, a 40-year-old Mobile, Alabama resident, for her role in a cigarette trafficking ring.
According to court documents, Mallory and her co-defendant, Shahid Abassi, were involved in a scheme to sell untaxed cigarettes to patrons of their store, ‘Quick Stop Grocery.’ The cigarettes were purchased cheaply and resold at retail prices, resulting in a significant profit.
The investigation, led by the Mobile Police Department and the ATF, revealed that Mallory and Abassi had sold approximately 520 packs of untaxed Newport cigarettes between April 13, 2018, and June 6, 2018. The tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service was $523.42, while the tax loss to the State of Alabama was $351.00.
Mallory pleaded guilty to the charges on December 19, 2018, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $874.42. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gina S. Vann.
The ATF set up an undercover operation to confirm the conduct and show that it continued. Agents used a cooperating citizen to act in an undercover capacity, along with an undercover law enforcement officer, to sell quantities of contraband cigarettes to Mallory and Abassi on numerous occasions.
The cigarettes did not have a visible paid cigarette tax stamp affixed, and Mallory and Abassi bought them cheaply, then sold them for retail prices to patrons of their store. The operation resulted in a significant profit for the defendants, but ultimately led to their downfall.
The case highlights the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in combating cigarette trafficking and other white-collar crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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