The United States Postal Service (USPS) is facing a lawsuit alleging it is illegally accepting and delivering millions of foreign cigarettes to Californians and New Yorkers.
The State of California and New York City filed the lawsuit against USPS and its Post Master General Megan Brennan on Tuesday.
Allegations against USPS
In the complaint, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and New York City Acting Corporation Counsel Georgia Pestana alleged that USPS violated the non-mailability provision of the Prevent All Cigarettes Trafficking Act (PACT Act).
According to them, USPS knowingly accepted and delivered packages that it had reasonable cause to believe contained untaxed cigarettes or smokeless tobacco. The postal service is aware of those illegal packages and failed to stop them.
Becerra and Pestana argued in their complaint that USPS’ action “deprives state and local governments of millions of dollars in tax revenue.” It also “thwarts the public health policies of those jurisdictions.”
