News: Counterfeit Cigars Seized in Florida

[FireRunner]

Interesting read. Over $100,000 in counterfeit cigars.

http://halfwheel.com/counterfeit-cigar-seized-in-florida/81730

[Bruck]

...look for bargain prices on "Cohiba seconds" at Cigars International any time now... :)

[BMack]

That's kind of funny, my friend just a couple weeks ago brought "Cohibas" to a get together. The bands were knockoff Cuban Cohibas but said "Dominican Republic" on them where the "Habana, Cuba" is supposed to be. I thought that was pretty odd and then this story comes out...funnier still, he's a cop.

[HabanoMan]

That's kind of funny, my friend just a couple weeks ago brought "Cohibas" to a get together. The bands were knockoff Cuban Cohibas but said "Dominican Republic" on them where the "Habana, Cuba" is supposed to be. I thought that was pretty odd and then this story comes out...funnier still, he's a cop.
@BMack (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=196) Did they look like this?
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r232/luvmaduro/dcoh_zpsncqtgtuh.jpg (http://s145.photobucket.com/user/luvmaduro/media/dcoh_zpsncqtgtuh.jpg.html)

If so then this is the old Dominican Cohiba band. (Before the Red Dot)

[TCBSmokes]

My, what tacky shelving that shop has. Besides, General Cigar does not own that Cohiba label, Cuba does, right? And, didn't they (GC) also just lose in court the right to use Cohiba Red Dot, too?
Interesting read. Over $100,000 in counterfeit cigars.

http://halfwheel.com/counterfeit-cigar-seized-in-florida/81730

[BMack]

@BMack (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=196) Did they look like this?
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r232/luvmaduro/dcoh_zpsncqtgtuh.jpg (http://s145.photobucket.com/user/luvmaduro/media/dcoh_zpsncqtgtuh.jpg.html)

If so then this is the old Dominican Cohiba band. (Before the Red Dot)

It said "Dominican Republic" in a similar font as the "Habana, Cuba" font on real Cohibas, also square boxes.

[HabanoMan]

BMack Did they look like this? LOL

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r232/luvmaduro/p_2824056_3_zpsxfo4k4tw.jpg (http://s145.photobucket.com/user/luvmaduro/media/p_2824056_3_zpsxfo4k4tw.jpg.html)

If so from what little knowledge I have of them they are actually "fakes" of the Dominican Cohibas and were being sold to the tourist in the D.R.

[CamoSutra]

Same cigars as in pic from HabanoMan, but with "Cuban" label, were sold to my gf in Mexico. Dog rockets -- but I didn't tell her that, of course.

[wabashcr]

My, what tacky shelving that shop has. Besides, General Cigar does not own that Cohiba label, Cuba does, right? And, didn't they (GC) also just lose in court the right to use Cohiba Red Dot, too?

Not quite. General still owns the Cohiba trademark in the US. What Cuba won was the standing to sue General in US court over that trademark. General argued that the embargo prevented Cuba from being allowed to sue, and Cuba prevailed. Now the actual trademark suit has to progress through the court system. I'd guess there's a pretty strong likelihood General loses their Cohiba trademark at some point, but until then, they might as well protect it however they can.

[TCBSmokes]

Not quite. General still owns the Cohiba trademark in the US. What Cuba won was the standing to sue General in US court over that trademark. General argued that the embargo prevented Cuba from being allowed to sue, and Cuba prevailed. Now the actual trademark suit has to progress through the court system. I'd guess there's a pretty strong likelihood General loses their Cohiba trademark at some point, but until then, they might as well protect it however they can.

wabashcr. Thank you for the clarification. :)

[BananaWind]

Looks like he sells cigars at the flea market...not sure I am buying my cigars from a flea market and expect them to be legit or good quality.

[UncleFesterESQ]

I would actually like it if someone with a fine cigar palate was to gather a collection of "fakes" and then review them to see how they stand on their own merits... what if there were actually a few diamonds amongst the huge pile of shit? Could one collect a few boxes of these diamonds, or does each box contain fakes from various regions... ie. they just all looked alike?

I obviously know little of how the counterfeit market works. I have been given a few "Cubans" in the past that were easily identifiable as fakes by the band.... but that's as far as my knowledge goes.

[HabanoMan]

I would actually like it if someone with a fine cigar palate was to gather a collection of "fakes" and then review them to see how they stand on their own merits... what if there were actually a few diamonds amongst the huge pile of shit? Could one collect a few boxes of these diamonds, or does each box contain fakes from various regions... ie. they just all looked alike?

I obviously know little of how the counterfeit market works. I have been given a few "Cubans" in the past that were easily identifiable as fakes by the band.... but that's as far as my knowledge goes.

There have been reports of everything from banana peels to plastic/cello in fakes. I think I would rather dissect them and get a good laugh rather than risk smoking them. I am sure there are fakes that are rolled using long filler and some are maybe even acceptable cigars but I don't see why they would bother with a "blend" of any type. I would think that they would just use the most cost efficient tobaccos and put them together as fast as they can. Most fakes are horribly rolled anyway.

Besides all of that, I wouldn't want anyone purchasing them for ANY reason since that would be basically "supporting" the counterfeiters.

[BMack]

BMack Did they look like this? LOL

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r232/luvmaduro/p_2824056_3_zpsxfo4k4tw.jpg (http://s145.photobucket.com/user/luvmaduro/media/p_2824056_3_zpsxfo4k4tw.jpg.html)

If so from what little knowledge I have of them they are actually "fakes" of the Dominican Cohibas and were being sold to the tourist in the D.R.

Nope, but actually have some of those that were given to me by a friend that doesn't smoke cigars and was gifted them from a customer. They just sit on a shelf near my TV, it was a nice gesture but who knows wtf is in those things

[Demuths1770]

i think its sad since it says cohiba general cas control over it even though it is a counterfit cuban cohiba! i have taken apart a fake cuban before and it was basically floor sweepings. there was a bean in the one and a long stem that was more like a twig. counterfeits are not good 1 because you dont know what you are smoking and 2 you are supporting counterfeiters

[Jordan23]

That's kind of funny, my friend just a couple weeks ago brought "Cohibas" to a get together. The bands were knockoff Cuban Cohibas but said "Dominican Republic" on them where the "Habana, Cuba" is supposed to be. I thought that was pretty odd and then this story comes out...funnier still, he's a cop.

:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh: