I have never smoked or purchased cigarettes, but I notice the big difference in price of cigarettes in Chicago as compared to those in Hammond. I know there was a big increase in the cigarette tax last month in Illinois.

I looked at the prices posted on the windows of the tobacco shops in Hammond, and I saw Marlboros for about $31/carton and some other lower priced brand for about $15/carton. I think I saw cartons in Chicago going for about $70. So I was thinking about finding a way to resell cigarettes in Chicago. If I posted on Craig'sList that I would sell Marlboros for $50-$55/ carton, would that be a good price? I want to make a little profit, but people will have to get a discount to bother buying from me.

What about the odd named brands? Would people buy many of those? What brands would be good to try? I don't know much about cigarettes, but I'm sure some of you do. What would be another good way to sell them?

I have a brother who lives in the West Loop, so he could maybe handle the sales after I bring them in.



and, yes, I know I'm not supposed to do this sort of thing, but I need to make a little money.

Stick to the standard brands, like Newports and Marlboro Lights and Camel Lights. Remember that you are asking your purchasers to break the law too, so I would make your price like $45 so you still make a handy profit and your buyers have a reason to do business with you.

oh and make sure your not steppin on anyones toes. i'd hate to see ya end up sleepin with the fishes cuz you were selling smokes in someone elses turf. pack heat

Parliaments are pretty popular too if you're going for selection. Seems like a reasonable scam if you can get the word out. You should also check to see what the on-line cigaratte discount sites sell for -- you'll need to beat them too.

I admire your business idea, but would it work? I have a feeling you'd get caught. I'm wondering how come Indiana's much cheaper than Illinois.

A buddy of mine used to do this down in Champaign during college. He'd get a list of people who'd want to buy cartons from him, drive over to Indiana twice a month to buy a shitload of cartons, and sell them to the interested parties with like a $5-10 markup per cartion (depending on much he liked/didn't like the person he'd be buying for). Made quite a decent amount of beer money that way.

This can only end badly.

Go for it!

a buddy of mine gets cartons for 15 bucks or something like that from west virginia and sells each Pack for 3.50 or 4. it works.

I used to work for a groccer and steal cartons and sell the packs for 4, that job made me more money then they will ever know.

Great thread.

wasn't there a Fox undercover news piece a few months back on bootlegged smokes? i recall some gangsta lookin dude selling packs of Kools outside of some storefront or something.

Nah, I don't expect anyone to look for it. I just thought some folks may stumble across it.




Much lower cig taxes over here. Some legislators have tried to raise the tax even more, but it tends not to get very far.

Illinois is one of the highest priced states. South Carolina is the lowest.


Along the Indiana Illinois border, there are signs about cigarette bootlegging on the Illinois side. They've had these for years, even when there wasn't such a difference in price.




Kools are popular with black folks, right?




There are a lot of college students in the West Loop where I was saying my brother could sell them for me.

Dude, someone will "flag" you within an hour on CL. I wouldn't even bother trying on there. You'd be better off marketing to the smokers on the SOMB (along with their smokey friends) than risking any sort of trouble that could come down on you for peddling them with Craig.