Welcome to Tennessee. Y'all are being watched.
Cigarette surveillance program begins today
Starting today, state Department of Revenue agents will begin stopping Tennessee motorists spotted buying large quantities of cigarettes in border states, then charging them with a crime and, in some cases, seizing their cars.
Critics say the new cigarette surveillance program amounts to the use of police state tactics and wrongfully interferes with interstate commerce. But state Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr says his department is simply doing its job, enforcing a valid state law while protecting Tennessee retailers who properly pay state taxes.
Agents have already been watching out-of-state stores that sell cigarettes near the Tennessee border to âget a feel where problem areas are, Farr said.
While declining to be specific, the commissioner said problem areas are generally along interstate highways with exits near the Tennessee border.
The idea is for the monitoring agent to spot a person buying cigarettes in volume at an out-of-state market, then departing in a vehicle with Tennessee license tags. Starting today, monitoring agents spotting such a suspect will call an arresting agent who will stop the car when it enters Tennessee, he said.
The agents will work in roving teams at random times, he said.
OK, I understand wanting to stop people from reselling imported cigarettes without paying state taxes -- that's called "smuggling." But sending agents into neighboring states to watch in case someone from Tennessee buys more cancer-sticks than the agent thinks he should and then tries to take them home? What if he's just stocking up for winter, or giving them as gifts to friends, family, and people he wants to see suffer emphysema? Is the Tennessee Department of Revenue now saying it's illegal to shop for smokes in another state? Shouldn't they wait to see if the buyer is really going to try to re-sell them?
Does this man really have nothing better to do?
(hat tip: Blue Crab Boulevard)
LINKS: More at Captain's Quarters, where Ed notes that it takes as little as three cartons to bring down the wrath of Tennessee Revenue; Hot Air; Outside the Beltway; the Corner; Oxford Medievalist;and David Harsanyi.
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