Missouri man indicted on more charges related to smuggling of cigarettes into Illinois

Mo. man faces more cigarette smuggling charges

ST. LOUIS — A man who federal agents say led a smuggling operation that profited from states’ different cigarette taxes is facing more felony counts.

A federal grand jury in St. Louis has indicted 43-three-year-old Ghalib Shahjamaluddin of St. Louis on four counts accusing him of illegally possessing, shipping, transporting and distributing contraband cigarettes.

The indictment replaces an earlier federal complaint.

Investigators claim Shahjamaluddin helped smuggle nearly 29 million cigarettes from Missouri to Illinois, where the state tax is six times higher. Investigators say Shahjamaluddin sold them for the going price in Illinois, kept the difference in tax and made a hefty profit.

Shahjamaluddin’s attorney didn’t respond to a message left for comment.