Arrest Eight In Counterfeit Cuban Cigar Ring

[Shakespeare]

So lets see. Police arrest 8 people for something legal for saying it's something illegal; and people are buying something legal because they thought it was something illegal.

And here I was just ramping up to sell oregano online as Marijuana.
Click Here for Sun Sentinel Article that basically doesn't tell you shit

[godfather]

Since you put it that way, how unusual/confusing indeed....

Interesting find, thanks for sharing.

[SuperChuck]

Heh, never thought of it like that...

"Your honor, it would be illegal if we sold actual cuban cigars... We were only trying to follow the law!"

[Shakespeare]

I believe most of the so called "Cuban" cigars sold around the US are actually fake.

The real irony is that the closer you get to Cuba; ie Miami, the higher propensity of running into fakes.

The counterfeiters have become so good, that it is almost impossible to tell the difference unless you are a highly trained expert...until you smoke it.

Prices for Cuban cigars are high, even where they are legally sold. This gives the counterfeiters incentive to invest in high quality duplication of bands, box art, size, shape and color to look like the real thing.

Even with going over the top to make the fakes look real, they can turn a 1000% profit. (I'll have to see if the article says anything about this.)

Most smokers of premium cigars pay an average of $5-$9 for a high quality stick.

Some of the excellent quality legal cigars such as Padron 1964 Anniversay can sell for up to $25 a stick and they are worth it.

If I were to go to Canada and buy real Cubans there, most of them would cost US$20-30.

Unsuspecting US consumers eager to get their hands on the "forbidden fruit" pay $30 for a fake Cuban cigar that cost the counterfeiter $3.00 to produce.

[Shakespeare]

Here's a story that makes more sense.

They don't mention Cubans, but they tell you the brand names of Monte Cristo, H. Upmann, Romeo y Julieta and that the charges are forging or counterfeiting private labels and vending goods with counterfeit trademarks.

http://www.local10.com/news/5546728/detail.html

[Moheganson]

I believe most of the so called "Cuban" cigars sold around the US are actually fake.

The real irony is that the closer you get to Cuba; ie Miami, the higher propensity of running into fakes.

The counterfeiters have become so good, that it is almost impossible to tell the difference unless you are a highly trained expert...until you smoke it.

Prices for Cuban cigars are high, even where they are legally sold. This gives the counterfeiters incentive to invest in high quality duplication of bands, box art, size, shape and color to look like the real thing.

Even with going over the top to make the fakes look real, they can turn a 1000% profit. (I'll have to see if the article says anything about this.)

Most smokers of premium cigars pay an average of $5-$9 for a high quality stick.

Some of the excellent quality legal cigars such as Padron 1964 Anniversay can sell for up to $25 a stick and they are worth it.

If I were to go to Canada and buy real Cubans there, most of them would cost US$20-30.

Unsuspecting US consumers eager to get their hands on the "forbidden fruit" pay $30 for a fake Cuban cigar that cost the counterfeiter $3.00 to produce.

"I believe most of the so called "Cuban" cigars sold around the US are actually fake."
I don't believe that for one minute. This is pure speculation on the part of anyone who makes this statement and quite frankly, I'm kind of sick and tired of hearing it.

"Some of the excellent quality legal cigars such as Padron 1964 Anniversay can sell for up to $25 a stick and they are worth it."
You may think they are worth it but I don't and neither to many other people too.

"If I were to go to Canada and buy real Cubans there, most of them would cost US$20-30."
No kidding, that's CANADA where they tax the living shit out of everything because it's a country that is one step removed from socialism.

"Unsuspecting US consumers eager to get their hands on the "forbidden fruit" pay $30 for a fake Cuban cigar that cost the counterfeiter $3.00 to produce"
Hey, what was that expression PT Barnum used to say? Something about a sucker born every minute, I forgot.........

I guess my point here is it might be a good idea to tone down your rhetoric.

[BigMacFU]

It didn't seem to me like any rhetoric, just general facts and figures that are very true. Counterfeiting is a huuuuuuge business.

Why did you get all jumpy Mohegan? Also, yes, on quite a few sizes of PAM, PAN, PA 64, PA 26's, prices can average around 25 and people do think they are worth it. Same with some opus X's and rare fuente's. And besides, he stated premium average between 5-9 dollars, but some go as high as 25 and are considered worth it by many aficionados, so he wasn't saying every premium was that much.

Just take a big sip of your finest alcoholic beverage, sit back in a big leather chair and smoke a stogie Mohegan, nothing wrong with what Shakespeare posted.