AZ Man Imprisoned for Smuggling Cigarettes

Posted 06/17/2019

On Friday, June 10, 2019, Vien Tang, 49, of Chandler, AZ, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 8 months in prison for Unlawful Importation of Tobacco.

From 2014 through May 2018, Tang and his then-wife, Lien Tang, 47, had approximately 8,000 cartons of cigarettes shipped from Vietnam to their home in Chandler.  The Tangs sold the smuggled cigarettes for cash out of the back of vehicles in parking lots of businesses in Mesa and Chandler. Lien Tang previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to three years’ probation. The Tangs were ordered to pay more than $275,000 in restitution.

A copy of the press release may be found on the website for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.