R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-20-51.3 — Counterfeit cigarettes

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the sale or possession for sale of counterfeit
cigarettes by a manufacturer, importer, distributor, or dealer shall result in the
seizure of the product and related machinery by the administrator or any law enforcement
agency and shall be punishable as follows:
(1) A knowing violation involving a total quantity of less than two (2) cartons of cigarettes
shall be punishable by a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or five (5) times
the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not
to exceed five (5) years, or both.
(2) A subsequent knowing violation involving a total quantity of less than two (2) cartons
of cigarettes shall be punishable by a fine of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or
five (5) times the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater,
or imprisoned not to exceed ten (10) years, or both, and shall also result in the
revocation by the administrator of the manufacturer, importer, distributor, or dealer
license.
(3) A first knowing violation involving a total quantity of two (2) cartons of cigarettes
or more shall be punishable by a fine of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or five
(5) times the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater, or imprisoned
not to exceed five (5) years, or both.
(4) A subsequent knowing violation involving a quantity of two (2) cartons of cigarettes
or more shall be punishable by a fine of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000),
or five (5) times the retail value of the cigarettes involved, whichever is greater,
or imprisoned not to exceed fifteen (15) years, or both, and shall also result in
the revocation by the administrator of the manufacturer, importer, distributor, or
dealer license.
(b) For purposes of this section, counterfeit cigarettes includes cigarettes that have
false manufacturing labels or packages of cigarettes bearing counterfeit tax stamps.
Any counterfeit cigarettes seized by the administrator shall be destroyed.