Three New York City Area Men Arrested In Queens County For Trafficking Of Untaxed Cigarettes

ALBANY, NY (08/11/2010)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward today announced that three men from the New York City area were recently charged with felony tax crimes for trafficking 360 cartons of untaxed cigarettes.

The untaxed cigarettes represent an estimated $23,000 in unpaid taxes to New York State and New York City.

Following an investigation by State Tax Department agents, the three individuals arrested on August 4 in Queens were:

Yun Zhi Xie, 29, of 43-51 Byrd St., Flushing;

Zhenfeng Lin, 47, of 135-14 37 Ave., Flushing; and,

Hang Zheng, 39, of 43-51 Byrd St., Flushing.

The three defendants were charged with Attempt to Evade Tax and Unlawful Possession of Untaxed Cigarettes, both class E felonies, punishable by up to four years in state prison.

They were arraigned August 6 in Queens County Court. Yun Zhi Xie and Zhenfeng Lin were released on their own recognizance and Hang Zheng was remanded to jail as an undocumented alien. Each defendant will reappear in Queens County Court on September 7.

The office of the Queens County District Attorney Richard A. Brown will coordinate the prosecution of the suspects.

Acting Commissioner Woodward thanked the New York City Police Department and the Queens County District Attorney's Office for their cooperative efforts on this investigation.

Those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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