In the Dominican Republic last Friday, the National Tobacco Institute (INTABACO), the Attorney General’s Department, and Dominican state security institutions impounded 2,871 boxes of counterfeit cigars from tourist centers and stores in that nation.

The latest raids, part of a crack-down by Dominican authorities, netted 40,000 cigars counterfeiting famous brands that included Romeo y Julieta, Cohiba, Montecristo, Davidoff, Partagas, Gloria Cubana, Macanudo, Punch, Troya, and others. The cigars were seized in shopping centers, stores, beaches and tourist plazas in Santo Domingo, Bayahibe, Higuey and Bavaro.

Yesterday, on August 9, INTABACO incinerated 7,000 boxes of confiscated cigars, most with fake Cuban brand labels, seized in this most recent round of raids. The incineration took place in a lot next to INTABACO’s offices, located in the community Villa González, in this northern province.

INTABACO director Adalberto Rosa said that with these actions against the fake cigars, the national tobacco sector will obtain a market free from irregularities that will allow the development of healthy business practices. “These actions represent a hard blow for the cigar forgers who have affected the image of the Dominican Republic abroad,” he said.

Would that it was true and it was that easy.

More on the counterfeit cigar problem after the jump.

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By way of David Savona at Cigar Aficionado:

Companies selling a Cohiba cigar called counterfeit by General Cigar Company were ordered to cease making, importing, and selling the cigars by a Reno, Nevada judge.

The order, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Sandoval on June 2, also prohibits the defendants in a lawsuit filed by General from claiming that they have “any legal right” to use the Cohiba trademark, according to General Cigar. General Cigar owns the U.S. rights to the Cohiba cigar name.

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General Cigar Company disclosed that it has filed suit against seven defendants. They are seeking injunctions and damages for the marketing and distribution of counterfeit COHIBA cigars, trademark infringement, cybersquatting and deceptive trade practices.

Norman Sharp, president of the Cigar Association of America, stated, “Counterfeit cigars erode the prestige, profitability and reputation of the handmade, premium cigar industry. While there is no reliable data available on the volume of counterfeit cigars being sold in the U.S., recent crackdowns have indicated that the problem is much larger than even industry insiders had estimated. In fact, even if such sales account for a small percentage of the estimated $800 million which consumers spent on premium cigars last year, it is an alarmingly profitable business for counterfeiters.”

The court hearing is planned for June 1 at a United States District Court in Las Vegas.