US tobacco company Philip Morris has filed a trademark infringement suit against a New York retailer for selling fake Marlboro cigarettes.

The suit follows a seizure of 184 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes by police after customers at Tammy' Smoke Shop complained to Philip Morris.

"The sale of counterfeit cigarettes undermines the value of Philip Morris USA's brands and the legitimate channels through which our products are distributed and sold," Joe Murillo, vice president and associate general counsel for Altria Client Services, representing Philip Morris, said in a press release.

Philip Morris said that since 2002 the company has filed lawsuits against 139 retailers selling fake cigarettes within the state of New York, as well as 71 internet sites and 21 individual defendants accused of illegally importing cigarettes
                                                                                                     SOURCE:AGIPNEWS