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Glendale Men Get Prison For Cigarette Trafficking

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Two Glendale men were sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for trafficking contraband cigarettes, authorities with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced Tuesday.

Grigor Chivitchian, 57, and Sarkis Mkrtchyan, 47, were sentenced yesterday to 366 days in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay $280,096 in restitution to the state of California for trafficking in contraband cigarettes and conspiracy to traffic in contraband cigarettes.

The two pleaded guilty to the charges Sept. 20.

An investigation into the two started in 2007 when federal authorities discovered Chivitchian and Mkrtchyan were not licensed to purchase or possess untaxed cigarettes in the state. They later purchased contraband cigarettes from undercover agents with the bureau.

"Cigarette trafficking, on its face, seems to be a nonviolent crime that deprives states of tax revenue," said John Torres, special agent in charge of the bureau in Los Angeles. "In reality it is much more. It is a vehicle and scheme that organized crime groups use to enrich themselves, fund other illegal activities, and expand their control and influence."

(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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