8. a. In addition to or in lieu of any other civil or criminal remedy provided by law, upon a determination that any person has violated section 5 of P.L.2014, c.85 (C. 52:4D-7.1) or section 5 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-8) or subsection d. of section 6 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-9) or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, the director may revoke or suspend the license of any person pursuant to section 203 of P.L.1948, c.65 (C. 54:40A-5) or revoke or suspend the holder’s certificate of authority pursuant to procedures applicable to the suspension of a license set forth in section 203 of P.L.1948, c.65 (C. 54:40A-5). Each stamp or metered impression affixed and each offer to sell cigarettes in violation of section 5 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-8) shall constitute a separate violation. For each violation hereof, the director may also impose a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the greater of 500% of the retail value of the cigarettes sold or $5,000 upon a determination of violation of section 5 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-8) or any regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

b. Any cigarettes that have been sold, offered for sale or possessed for sale in this State in violation of section 5 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-8) shall be deemed contraband, without regard to whether the violation was knowing under section 607 of P.L.1948, c. 65 (C. 54:40A-30), and those cigarettes shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture as provided in section 607, and all cigarettes so seized and forfeited shall be destroyed and not resold.

c. The Attorney General, on behalf of the director, may seek an injunction to restrain a threatened or actual violation of: section 5 of P.L.2014, c.85 (C. 52:4D-7.1); section 5 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-8); or subsection d. of section 6 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-9); or subsection a. or subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-10) by a licensed distributor or a holder of a certificate of authority pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1990, c.39 (C. 54:40B-6) and to compel the licensed distributor or holder of a certificate of authority to comply with the requirements provided therein. In any action brought pursuant to this section, the State shall be entitled to recover the costs of investigation, costs of the action and reasonable attorney fees.

d. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or distribute cigarettes or acquire, hold, own, possess, transport, import, or cause to be imported cigarettes that the person knows or should know are intended for distribution or sale in the State in violation of section 5 of P.L.2003, c.25 (C. 52:4D-8). A violation of this subsection shall be a crime of the third degree.

L.2003, c.25, s.8; amended 2014, c.85, s.4.