Annapolis, MD (June 2, 2008) - Enforcement agents for Comptroller Peter Franchot arrested a convicted cigarette smuggler again on Saturday, May 31, confiscating more than 4,800 packs of contraband cigarettes on U.S. 13 North in Worcester County.

At 12:10 p.m. on Saturday, Comptroller's agents stopped the driver of a 2007 Dodge Caravan with North Carolina registration. Agents arrested and charged the vehicle's operator, Ming Keang Louie, 59, of Salisbury, Md., with transporting contraband cigarettes and with possession of contraband cigarettes. Agents seized the car and 4,870 packs of illegal cigarettes worth nearly $24,500 as evidence. In addition, the law enforcement officials confiscated over $1,500 in cash from the defendant.

"Ming Keang Louie is no stranger to the Comptroller's Office. He was arrested in May 2006, in Worcester County for transporting over 2,400 packs of contraband cigarettes into Maryland," Comptroller Franchot said. "As long as smuggling exists, my agents will continue to enforce Maryland's tax laws and bring in every penny owed the state."

Ming Keang Louie was convicted in the 2006 case, but judicial officials suspended the sentence.

In Saturday's event, Louie was remanded to the Worcester County Detention Center with bail set at $25,000. Today, he is scheduled to appear before a district court judge for a bail review.

Transporting contraband cigarettes is a felony carrying a $50 per carton fine and/or two years imprisonment sentence while the possession charge is a misdemeanor carrying a $1000 fine and/or punishment of imprisonment not exceeding one year.

So far in fiscal year 2008, agents have arrested 44 individuals for tobacco violations and seized a total of 50,006 packs of contraband cigarettes with a retail value of approximately $233,347.

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Contact: Caron Brace, (410) 260-7438 (office), (410) 212-9414 (cell)