A Swedish court has sentenced two North Korean diplomats to eight months in prison for trying to smuggle cigarettes into the Nordic country.
The Stockholm District Court ruled Wednesday that the diplomats — a man and his wife — cannot claim diplomatic immunity because they are not stationed in Sweden. They are based in the Russian port city of St. Petersburg.
The couple were arrested last month when they arrived in Stockholm on a passenger ferry from Finland. Officers found 230,000 cigarettes hidden under blankets and baggage in their car.
Police have withheld the diplomats’ names.

A federal judge in Seattle has ordered a 60-year-old Reno, Nev., man to serve nine months in prison and pay $20 million in restitution to the state Internal Revenue Service for failing to pay taxes on cigarettes.
U.S. District Judge James Robart said Robert Stuber, who owned Cowlitz Candy and Tobacco Co., was overcome by greed. Stuber pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money-laundering charges last February. He admitted that he sold more than a million cartons of cigarettes to the Blue Stilly Smoke Shop near Arlington without paying taxes on them.
In March 2009, three Stillaguamish Tribal members, who owned and operated Blue Stilly, were sentenced to prison for selling contraband cigarettes and avoiding $25 million in taxes. Between January 2005 and May 2007, Cowlitz Candy & Tobacco Co., was the primary supplier of cigarettes to the shop.

A plan to make the new police station on Indian Trail tobacco-free has hit some resistance from aldermen.
The proposal, suggested by the Police Department, would ban not only smoking but all forms of tobacco from the entire 25-acre campus, inside and out. The department expects to be operating out of the new $108 million station by Jan. 11.
The statewide smoking ban already prohibits smoking inside and within 15 feet of the new station. But the new ordinance would expand that to include every aspect of the campus, including the interiors of cars.
The recommendation for a complete smoking ban came from the Police Department and is intended to make the new station more friendly to the public, as well as the environment, according to Cmdr. Joe Groom.
But some aldermen feel there should be at least one designated smoking area for employees. Alderman Stephanie Kifowit, 3rd Ward, said working as a 911 call center operator, for example, is a “very stressful job,” and smokers might need a place to unwind after a tough call.
Alderman Richard Irvin, at-large, agreed, saying that smoking is legal, and “there are folks who have smoked for years and will continue to. It’s a part of their lives.”
But Alderman Lynda Elmore, 10th Ward, jokingly suggested the smoking area should be “in the middle of the detention pond,” and said smoking does not fit with the idea of a green building. The police station was built to strict environmental standards, and Elmore said it should be protected from “smoke and the residue of smokers.”
Alderman Juany Garza, 2nd Ward, was more direct: “Provide nicotine patches,” she said. “They’ll quit.”
Human Resources Director Alex Alexandrou said the city provides programs to help employees quit, and those who smoke or chew tobacco can go to the sidewalk in front of the building or to the park across the street.
Police Chief Greg Thomas said he sent notices to the entire department months ago, informing employees of the smoke-free ordinance. However, as Alexandrou pointed out, the ordinance is more for the public than the police, since Thomas could simply order his employees not to smoke on the new campus.
The City Council will vote on the proposal on Tuesday.

Ashtrays atop eatery tables and inside lobbies may go the way of the spittoon in Brandon if the city’s aldermen pass smoke-free legislation now under consideration.
Aldermen are considering an ordinance that will bar smoking inside most public spaces, such as restaurants and public buildings. The driving force behind the measure is the health of the city’s citizens, Alderwoman Yvonne Bianchi said.
“It would make a healthier community and a healthier city,” she said.
The legislation isn’t on the agenda yet. If passed, it will be the first of its kind in any Rankin County city.
Bianchi said Brandon Mayor Tim Coulter has asked aldermen for their opinions on the matter.”I’m ready to go forward with this,” Bianchi said, who has written to Coulter about her position.
Tawni Lovorn, of Mississippi Tobacco Free Coalition of Rankin, Scott and Simpson Counties, said her group has done presentations to a handful of municipalities in those three counties. Pelahatchie is studying the issue, and she said she’s pleased Brandon is considering tobacco-free legislation.
“This is a great example of city leadership taking on a controversial issue in order to protect the health of the citizens and visitors of Brandon,” Lovorn said. “Brandon would be the first of all the cities this coalition serves to go smoke-free, and we feel that it will help other cities do so as well.”
Such legislation prevents people from numerous health risks, Lovorn said.
“Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States,” she said. “Each year in Mississippi, smoking accounts for an estimated 5,250 premature deaths, including 550 deaths among nonsmokers as a result of secondhand smoke. Sixty-nine thousand Mississippi kids now under 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.”Thirty-two cities in Mississippi are smoke-free, Lovorn said.
Rankin County approved a measure last year barring smoking and tobacco use in county buildings and county-owned vehicles. Although it raised some eyebrows at first, Board of Supervisors President Greg Wilcox said the measure was important to the health of citizens.
“At first, we had people questioning, but people understand that in public facilities like that, it’s smokers’ prerogative to smoke,” he said. “Non-smokers don’t have a say so unless we make some rules and regulations. We make sure people don’t get second-hand smoke in public facilities.”
The Mississippi State University study released this month showed Starkville’s smoke-free laws have improved the health of residents. It showed a 27 percent decrease in heart attacks among the city’s residents since 2006, when the city adopted its smoking ban.
Two cities in neighboring Madison County – Ridgeland and Flora – have adopted smoking bans, and Madison has a voluntary ban since its restaurants opted to go smoke-free on their own.
“(The study results) do not surprise me at all since smoking is so bad for your health,” Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee said. “I really believe that the smoking ban in Ridgeland will have a very positive effect on our citizens.”

Cigarette maker Philip Morris has dropped its lawsuit challenging San Francisco’s prohibition on tobacco sales at pharmacies.
The announcement Thursday by the San Francisco city attorney’s office follows a federal appeals court ruling denying the company’s request for an injunction that would have kept it from enforcing the year-old law.
A spokesman for Altria Group Inc., parent company of Philip Morris, confirmed the suit had been dropped but had no further comment.
San Francisco officials passed the ban in 2008, noting the health problems associated with tobacco products.
City officials are still defending the law in a separate lawsuit brought by the Walgreens drugstore chain. A Superior Court judge dismissed that case, which is now on appeal.

Cancer survivors are often inspired to live more healthfully, but not all do. Notwithstanding a desire to quit cigarettes, some continue to smoke despite knowing the health consequences.
But consider this: In a study of cancer survivors, more than a quarter who smoke didn’t receive any advice about quitting from their healthcare provider.
This and other revelations about cancer survivors and smoking are in a paper published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Researchers examined evaluations from 1,825 men and women, average age 67, who took part in the 2005 National Health Interview Survey, an annual U.S. health survey. All the participants had been diagnosed with cancer at least one year prior, and they reported on their current smoking patterns.
Almost 18% said they were current smokers. Various forms of cancers had different smoking rates: Highest were cervical and uterine; lowest were female breast cancer and prostate.
A vast majority of all study participants — 95% — said they had visited their healthcare provider in the last year, but less than half (41%) said they had been asked about their smoking habits. In that group, more than two-thirds said their provider already knew their smoking status. About 72% of current smokers who had seen a healthcare provider said they were advised to quit smoking.
Most of the current smokers — almost two-thirds — said they wanted to quit smoking, with more than a third trying to quit in the last year. Those who were more likely to have received advice about quitting had related medical conditions, high stress, no medical insurance or at least a pack-a-day habit.
“While smoking cessation is difficult, it can play an important role in increasing cancer survivors’ quality of life,” said Elliot Coups, lead author and a participant in the Fox Chase Keystone Program in Cancer Risk and Prevention. “Time and again, studies have shown that people really do listen to what is said at the doctor’s office in regards to smoking, so healthcare providers need to take advantage of this teachable moment.”

Two Mercedes-Benz cars of the same colour and make were used to smuggle contraband cigarettes across the Causeway from Malaysia to Singapore. Both were caught at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Monday afternoon.
The first car was driven by a lone male, who was subjected to checks after behaving uneasily during questioning. Upon lifting the rear backrest, Immigration Custom Officers (ICA) discovered 520 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in a modified fuel tank.
The potential customs duty and GST payable amount to S$3,700 and S$330 respectively.
The 49-year-old man confessed to smuggling the cigarettes across the border as he was unemployed and in “dire need of money”. He was also told that he would be paid $200 upon successfully delivery.
The driver admitted that a Singaporean man in Geylang by the name of “Ah Leng” had informed him about the smuggling job and also helped him modify the car.
About two hours later, another lone driver of a Mercedes-Benz was also caught with 466 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in a modified fuel tank, bolted down by the rear backrest.
The potential customs duty and GST payable amount to S$3,340 and S$300 respectively.The 39-year-old man admitted to knowing about the hidden cigarettes and told ICA that a Malaysian man named “Ah Weng” had told him to drive the car to Johor Bahru to load the goods and to fit the car with a fuel tank.
He was also told by “Ah Weng” to drive the car to the Woodlands Town Centre carpark and wait for further instructions. Upon successful delivery, he would be paid $200 as well.
The two offenders, along with the cars and cigarettes have been handed over to the Singapore Customs for further investigations.
If found guilty and convicted, they could both face up to a fine of 20 times the amount of duty evaded and liable to a jail term not exceeding three years.

“The Truth” tour is known for eye catching campaigns and now Boise teens are getting to see what they’re all about.
A few ways that they’re getting teens attention about the dangers of smoking is by driving a big orange “Truth” truck around the country and give fun memorabilia like a whoopee cushion with their message on it.
They dance, play games and do everything kids love to do.
As they connect with young teens, Truth crew members say they’re also giving them information about the dangers of tobacco.
“Like 1200 that’s how many people die in the US from tobacco. 599, that’s how many additives are in one cigarette,” said a Truth Crew Member Tiffany Sawczenko.
Truth members say it’s like talking to a younger sibling, hoping they will think twice before picking up a cigarette.
“We’re going to be in Idaho until the end of Sunday, hitting up state parks, we’re going to be hitting up recreation halls, malls, anywhere where teens are going to be because our primary demographic is 12 to 17,” said Sawczenko.
And some members joined the fight for personal reasons.
“Me being part of the Truth, yeah I’m affecting kids across the country, my number 1 goal but personally I would like to help my brother out in stop smoking cigarettes,” said a Truth Crew Member Felix Lamorena.
The Truth campaign says it’s all about one thing.
“We have to have fun. That’s what it’s all about and what we like to do…as we spread the truth initiative,” said Lamorena.
The Truth Campaign is funded by tobacco companies as part of a settlement reached back in 1998.

SUPERTANKERS anchored off Tor Bay were boarded by Government officers during a duty-free swoop.
The giant oil tankers have been anchored off the South Devon coast for months, with some being there since March.
They are thought to be waiting for the price of oil to rise, and the 200 crew members have brought a big boost to the Bay’s economy.
However, last week their long stay came to the attention of the Borders Agency, whose officers were concerned about the tankers’ crews taking advantage of duty-free prices aboard the ships.
For each fresh journey the tankers take, they stock up on duty-free items such as cigarettes and alcohol.
These are kept in a ‘bonded store’ where crew members can buy items at cheap prices.
But it is understood the Borders Agency was not happy the crews continued to pay duty-free prices while being in British waters for so long.
They are believed to have boarded the tankers and sealed the bonded stores, leaving the crews to pay full prices from the mainland.
It is thought the stores will remain sealed until the tankers leave British waters.
A UK Border Agency spokesman said: “As part of their routine activity, UK Border Agency cutters have been operating in the Tor Bay area, and Border Force officers have boarded a number of commercial vessels.
“The agency has a responsibility to protect public finances, and a ship’s crew can only take advantage of duty-free arrangements within the limits of a port when they are unloading cargo, and not for a longer period of time.
“Cutters, alongside highly-trained UK Border Agency officers, perform an essential role and have led to huge seizures of controlled drugs and illicit cigarettes.
“Operations are conducted on a risk and intelligence-led basis.”
Kevin Mowatt, Torbay’s director of marine services, said he had some sympathy for the tankers’ crew members.
He added: “From an ex-sea-going mariner’s perspective, I think it’s unfortunate.
“The crew, when they come off watch, will not now be able to access their bond. They’ll have to pay full price for their cigarettes and alcohol.
“But the reality is if the Borders Agency has taken action, they’ve operated within the law.”
The tankers’ presence off Tor Bay recently made national headlines when Brixham trawler Propitious collided with an anchored 105,500-tonne supertanker 22 times its size in broad daylight off Torquay.
Fortunately the Panamanian-registered crude oil tanker Phoenix Hope is a modern vessel with a double hull, so there was no oil spill.
Following enactment of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, the UK Border Agency is now responsible for the exercise of Customs and Immigration functions at the UK border.

CHARLESTON — A teenager agreed to prison time for his role in the break-in at a Mattoon convenience store during which several packs of cigarettes were taken.
Harley V. Runner, 17, of Windsor pleaded guilty to a burglary charge that accused him of breaking into Casey’s General Store, 2401 Marshall Ave., on June 1. He was sentenced to three years in prison for the offense that could have resulted in a three- to seven-year sentence.
Runner was also ordered to pay about $550 in restitution but will get credit for anything two co-defendants pay. One other suspect in the case pleaded guilty earlier and restitution was part of his sentence, while the case against the other suspect is pending.Police records in Runner’s case said an officer discovered that two glass doors of the Casey’s store were broken and an employee indicated that 50 packs of cigarettes were taken. The records also said Runner and other suspects were also implicated in a theft of soft drinks from Circle K, 1821 DeWitt Ave., Mattoon, on the same day.
agreement that Assistant State’s Attorney Eric Neumann and Public Defender Lonnie Lutz recommended. Jeffery T. Schneider, 19, 729 N. Second Division St., Mattoon, was placed on probation in August and the other co-defendant is Kevin R. Peach, 18, 1508 S. Third St., Mattoon.
In other cases in court recently, guilty pleas were also entered by:
n Aaron L. Williams, 33, of Pesotum in Champaign County to a residential burglary charge alleging he broke into a home on County Road 1270E near Charleston on Jan. 25.
Williams received the minimum sentence of four years in prison for the offense that requires a four- to 15-year prison term when there’s a conviction. However, it will be consecutive to the 12-year sentence he began serving in May for a Champaign County conviction for aggravated domestic battery, amounting to a 16-year term for the two cases.
Righter accepted a plea agreement that Neumann and defense attorney John Gadau of Champaign recommended.
n Mark A. Bosel, 24, for whom records listed addresses in Toledo and Greenup, to an aggravated battery charge alleging he hit a woman in Charleston on Feb. 3.
The charge was a felony because the battery allegedly happened in a public place, the Charleston Walmart, and Bosel was placed on probation for 2½ years. A misdemeanor domestic battery charge was dismissed and terms of his sentence included counseling, $700 in fines and jail time that was stayed, meaning he won’t have to serve it if he follows requirements.
Righter accepted a plea agreement that Assistant State’s Attorney Tracy Nemitz and defense attorney Jeannine Garrett recommended.
n Zakia K. Wardlow, 20, of Champaign to a possession of cannabis charge alleging she had marijuana found in her vehicle during a traffic stop in Charleston on Oct. 3.
The charge was reduced from possession with the intent to deliver and terms of Wardlow’s two-year probation sentence included substance abuse treatment, $1,100 in fines and stayed jail time. Circuit Judge Mitchell Shick accepted a plea agreement that Assistant State’s Attorney Mick McAvoy and Garrett recommended.
A co-defendant, Jason L. Bailey, 23, also of Champaign, pleaded guilty and was placed on probation in June.
n Michael J. McNeely, 19, of Strasburg to an obstructing justice charge alleging he lied to police about another man’s involvement in a theft at the Mattoon County Market store on Dec. 28.
Terms of McNeely’s two-year probation sentence included counseling, a $1,000 fine, a requirement that he not return to the store and stayed jail time. Righter accepted a plea agreement that Nemitz and Garrett recommended.