NYC store allegedly hid bootleg cigarettes with remote-control shelf

Now you see ’em, now you don’t!

A Brooklyn bodega owner allegedly came up with an ingenious way to peddle untaxed cigarettes — by installing a remote-control shelf that keeps the bootleg butts hidden from view.

State tax-enforcement agents uncovered the ruse during a raid that’s part of a crackdown on crooked retailers who are scamming the state out of up to $1 billion in annual revenues.

A 22-second video clip shows a tax agent operating the secret device, which is hidden inside a wood cabinet displaying shelves of merchandise, including disposable plastic lighters and Kodiak wintergreen snuff.

When the agent presses the “up” button on an electronic key fob, a shelf holding several boxes of Raw-brand rolling papers suddenly begins to rise, exposing packs of cigarettes — including popular Marlboro Reds — stacked in cubbies below.

The agent then presses the “down” button on the fob, causing the smokes to suddenly sink from view.

“Here’s what we’re up against,” state Taxation and Finance Commissioner Mike Schmidt wrote in a caption to the video of Twitter.

Officials declined to identify the store, which was raided late last month, saying that an investigation into its illegal activities was continuing.

But similar gimmicks have been uncovered during previous raids, according to the Taxation and Finance Department.

“Trafficking in untaxed products is rampant. It costs us revenue, thwarts public health goals and hurts businesses who play by the rules,” Schmidt tweeted.

As part of his fiscal 2021 budget plan, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed a “two smokes and you’re out” rule that would harshly punish retailers caught repeatedly selling untaxed cigarettes.

A first offense would result in a one-year revocation of the certificate needed to sell tobacco, while a second could cost a store owner the right to collect sales tax — effectively shutting the business.

A related provision would allow the state to close any affiliated businesses or shell corporations so shady operators can’t escape the consequences of their actions.

Officials estimate that 60 percent of bodegas and corner stores in the city that don’t offer lottery tickets or booze are peddling bootleg cigarettes.

New York has the nation’s second-highest tax rate on smokes, adding $4.35 to every package of 20.

The Big Apple also tacks on $1.50, bringing the total to $5.85.

The taxes boost the average cost of a 10-pack carton to between $120 and $130, compared to just $40 in southeastern states including Virginia and North Carolina.

The dramatic difference provides an incentive for bootleggers to load up a van or SUV with 600 to 1,000 cartons of smokes that can be smuggled into the city and sold to retailers for about $85 each, resulting in a profit of between $25,000 and $45,000 per trip, officials said.

The retailers, in turn, can sell the untaxed cigarettes at $9 per pack, compared to $13 or $14, officials said.