54:40A-60 Violations, penalties.

7. a. A manufacturer, wholesale dealer, agent or any other person or entity who knowingly sells or offers to sell cigarettes, other than through retail sale, in violation of section 4 of this act, for a first offense shall be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 per each sale of such cigarettes, and for a subsequent offense shall be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 per each such sale of cigarettes provided that in no case shall the penalty against any such person or entity exceed $100,000 during a thirty-day period.

b. A retail dealer who knowingly sells cigarettes in violation of section 4 of this act shall:

(1) for a first offense be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $500, and for a subsequent offense be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $2,000, per each such sale or offer for sale of cigarettes, if the total number of cigarettes sold or offered for sale in such sale does not exceed 1,000 cigarettes; or

(2) for a first offense be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000, and for a subsequent offense be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 per each such sale or offer for sale of such cigarettes, if the total number of cigarettes sold or offered for sale in such sale exceeds 1,000 cigarettes, provided that this penalty against any retail dealer shall not exceed $25,000 during a thirty-day period.

c. In addition to any penalty prescribed by law, any corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, limited partnership or association engaged in the manufacture of cigarettes that knowingly makes a false certification pursuant to section 5 of this act shall, for a first offense, be liable to a civil penalty of at least $75,000, and for a subsequent offense a civil penalty not to exceed $250,000 for each such false certification.

d. Any person violating any other provision in this section shall be liable to a civil penalty for a first offense not to exceed $1,000, and for a subsequent offense liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each such violation.

e. Any cigarettes that have been sold or offered for sale that do not comply with the safety standard required by section 4 of this act shall be subject to forfeiture under the provisions of N.J.S.2C:64-1 et seq.; provided, however, that prior to the destruction of any cigarette seized pursuant to these provisions, the true holder of the trademark rights in the cigarette brand shall be permitted to inspect the cigarette.

f. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the director or Attorney General may file an action in Superior Court for a violation of this act, including petitioning for injunctive relief or to recover any costs or damages suffered by the State because of a violation of this section, including enforcement costs relating to the specific violation and attorney's fees. Each violation of this section or of rules or regulations adopted under this section constitutes a separate civil violation for which the director may obtain relief.

L.2007, c.86, s.7.