Rich Marianos is a retired assistant director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He now spends his time advocating for tougher penalties for tobacco smuggling.
Marianos says creating a big price difference on a pack of cigarettes can invite organized crime.
Marianos: "They see the amount of money that can be made from the illegal trafficking of cigarettes. No one's going to jail for it the amount of money can be 10 to 20 times the amount in narcotics or weapons sales."
Marianos isn't necessarily against a tax increase. He's pushing for ramped up law enforcement activity, stronger penalties for smugglers and raised awareness from politicians and leaders.
