New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix today announced that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has made significant progress on reforms to prevent illegal cigarette deliveries through its facilities, following an August 2022 legal settlement. The reforms already achieved include replacement of the former practice of returning cigarettes found in the mail with a new policy to seize and destroy cigarette packages, along with reporting sender and recipient information to support enforcement efforts, and the appointment of a designated manager to oversee compliance with the settlement.
Pursuant to the settlement, USPS has formed a joint committee with representatives of each plaintiff to work towards implementing the remaining reforms required by the settlement. These improvements include upgraded technology and employee training aimed at better recognition and disposal of packages containing cigarettes.
“The City is pleased to see the Postal Service has implemented key portions of the legal agreement, and we will continue to work with them to ensure compliance with all of the terms of the settlement,” said New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix. “The USPS should not be a conduit for illegal sales of untaxed cigarettes to New Yorkers which deprive federal, state, and local governments of billions of dollars in tax revenue.”