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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83441</law_id><section_number>3.2-4212</section_number><catch_line>Penalties and other remedies</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-513</reference><reference>2.2-511</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="3.2">Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Production and Sale of Agricultural Products</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="42">Implementation of Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Enforcement of Requirements for Tobacco Product Manufacturers</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In addition to any other civil or criminal <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> or remedy provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, upon a determination that any person has violated &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibition against stamping or sale or import of cigarettes not in the Directory" href="/3.2-4207/">3.2-4207</a> or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may revoke or suspend such person&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> to purchase tax stamps at a discounted rate. Each stamp affixed and each offer to sell cigarettes in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibition against stamping or sale or import of cigarettes not in the Directory" href="/3.2-4207/">3.2-4207</a> shall constitute a separate violation. Upon a determination of a violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibition against stamping or sale or import of cigarettes not in the Directory" href="/3.2-4207/">3.2-4207</a> or any regulations adopted pursuant thereto, the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may also impose a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> in an amount not to exceed the greater of (i) 500 percent of the retail value of the cigarettes sold or (ii) $5,000. <a id="paragraph-299004" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-4212/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any cigarettes that have been sold, offered for sale or possessed for sale in the Commonwealth, or imported for personal consumption in the Commonwealth, in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibition against stamping or sale or import of cigarettes not in the Directory" href="/3.2-4207/">3.2-4207</a>, shall be deemed contraband and may not be sold or offered for sale unless such cigarettes are listed in the Directory. Any such cigarettes that are sold or offered for sale when not included in the Directory shall be subject to confiscation and forfeiture. Any such confiscation and forfeiture shall be governed by the procedures contained in Chapter 22.1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Commencing an action of forfeiture" href="/19.2-386.1/">19.2-386.1</a> et seq.) of Title 19.2, which shall apply <span class="dictionary">mutatis mutandis</span>; except that all such cigarettes so confiscated and forfeited shall be destroyed and not resold. <a id="paragraph-299005" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-4212/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> may seek an <span class="dictionary">injunction</span> to restrain a threatened or actual violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibition against stamping or sale or import of cigarettes not in the Directory" href="/3.2-4207/">3.2-4207</a>, subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Reporting of information" href="/3.2-4209/">3.2-4209</a>, subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Reporting of information" href="/3.2-4209/">3.2-4209</a>, or subsection C of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Reporting of information" href="/3.2-4209/">3.2-4209</a> by a <span class="dictionary">stamping agent</span> and to compel the <span class="dictionary">stamping agent</span> to comply with such provisions. In any action brought pursuant to this subsection in which the Commonwealth prevails, the Commonwealth shall be entitled to recover the reasonable costs of investigation, costs of the action and reasonable attorney fees. <a id="paragraph-299006" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-4212/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> It shall be unlawful for a person to (i) sell or distribute cigarettes or (ii) acquire, hold, own, possess, transport, import, or cause to be imported cigarettes that the person knows or should know are intended for distribution or sale in the Commonwealth in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibition against stamping or sale or import of cigarettes not in the Directory" href="/3.2-4207/">3.2-4207</a>. A violation of this section involving less than 3,000 packages of cigarettes is a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. A violation of this section involving 3,000 or more packages of cigarettes is a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>, and, upon <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>, the sentence of such person shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of 90 days. <a id="paragraph-299007" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-4212/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2003, c. 798, &#xA7; 3.1-336.10; 2006, c. 674; 2008, cc. 758, 860; 2009, c. 847; 2012, cc. 283, 756.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
