"Gov. Cuomo may soon be able to check off another item on Albany's long-ig nored to-do list: cracking down on illegal sales of tax-free cigarettes on Indian reservations.

In the weeks since the courts lifted a restraining order, state and federal agents have seized nearly 15,000 cartons -- a haul with an estimated tax value of about $1.5 million.

That's a notable start.

Here's hoping Cuomo & Co. follow through.

Indian tribes have long bought cartons wholesale, avoiding a state-imposed $4.35-a-pack tax. That enables them to resell the cigs for far less than their law-abiding competition.

Not only does Albany lose out on significant tax revenue, but legitimate businesses are put at a virtually insurmountable disadvatange."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Cuomo's cig crackdown (The New York Post 7/15)

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