Mississippi § 27-69-33 - Segregation of stock for interstate shipment.

§ 27-69-33. Segregation of stock for interstate shipment.

Manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers of cigars, cigarettes or smoking tobacco subject to the tax under this chapter, doing both intrastate and interstate business in such tobacco, must qualify as interstate dealers in such tobacco by applying to the commissioner for permission to engage in such business, and, upon receipt of such permission, he shall be permitted to set aside such part of his stock as may be absolutely necessary for the conduct of such interstate business, without affixing the stamps to cigarettes required by this chapter. Said interstate stock shall be kept in an entirely separate part of the building, separate and apart from intrastate stock, and the said interstate business shall be conducted by the said wholesale dealer in accordance with rules and regulations to be promulgated by the commissioner. It is further provided that shipment of such merchandise be made only by a railroad, express company, boat line, or motor freight line certified by the Mississippi Public Service Commission as a common carrier, or by registered or insured parcel post. It is further provided that any manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler of cigars, cigarettes or smoking tobacco, engaged in interstate commerce in such tobaccos, shall report to the commissioner on or before the fifteenth day of each month, on forms prescribed by the commissioner, all sales of cigarettes made in interstate commerce during the preceding month to which Mississippi stamps were not affixed. These reports must be made supplementary to the reports required to be filed by Section 27-69-35 of this chapter. Each shipment must be covered by a complete copy of invoice of the consignor, and supported by properly receipted bill of lading of the transportation company, or post office department as specified in the foregoing, and the receipted bills of lading and invoices shall be subject to inspection by the commissioner for a period of three (3) years. The commissioner is further authorized to verify the actual delivery to the consignee of such unstamped taxable cigarettes before allowing credit, and for the purpose of such verification, the commissioner may exchange information with the proper authorities of other states as to movement of taxable tobacco to and from other states into and from the State of Mississippi.