Federal agents raided the home of a Pueblo leader on Tuesday as part of an investigation into untaxed cigarettes.
Paul Rainbird, the lieutenant governor at San Ildefonso Pueblo, operates the Silver Cloud Smokeshop. He buys wholesale cigarettes from Costco and sells them without proper tax stamps, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
But the American Indian CigCo was really operating off the reservation in Albuqerque, authorities said. Agents raided a warehouse associated with Rainbird's business in Albuquerque yesterday.
No one has been arrested and no one has been charged so far.
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ATF Agents Raid Home Of San Ildefonso Pueblo's Lt. Governor (KOAT 8/27)
Smoke Shop Raided in Tax Scam
(The Albuquerque Journal 8/27)
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