This seller is not offering one counterfeit box, he is offering SEVEN boxes for sale. While he has a lot of pictures on his auction they are of low quality. We did notice another stamp that we were unfamiliar with and asked the seller to send us with the standard - CLOSE UP OF THE RED SERIAL NUMBER AND BACK OF THE BOX - so we could examine them a little closer.

We received new pictures from the seller and it was as expected. Even though he sent us blurry pictures, they were still clear enough to prove that these cigars are counterfeits. The red serial number begins with an "A" yet the factory code shows that the cigars were rolled in Feb 2002, which we know could not be true as they were already on "B" at the start of 2002. There is also a bogus "Entregado" stamp on the back of the box, similar to that of the "VENDIDO POR INTUR" stamp to make it look more authentic.

In his email to us Alex comments that he personally hand selected these cigars and had them banded and boxed , and that he had to bribe someone in the factory to do it. Now, if he had to bribe someone there is no way is walking out with seven boxes from the upstairs rolling area! Ok....for all you still none believers let's assume that he did bribe someone to let him hand select 175 cigars, then carry them to have them banded, then boxed, then taken to be sealed, then stamped with a "FEB 02" stamp. Then he waited in Cuba another seven months to have then stamp the "ENTREGADO OCT 2002" stamp (which isn't even an authorized stamp)!!! Please, peddle your Bullsh** somewhere else.

What's even sadder is that he send links to Steve Saka's and Rafael Bernardo's web site to lend credibility to his auctions indicating that he is aware that fakes are out there and that he knows how to tell the difference.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ramon [mailto:habanos_r_us@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 10:24 AM
To: 'Alex'
Subject: RE: Question for seller -- Item #3203381181

LOL...no, let me restate that, LOL!!! What's the matter? It is ok to
peddle counterfeits, but it's not ok for someone to point them out?

Your email gives us the satisfaction for the existence of our web site.

Shut us down??? Many counterfeit sellers have tried and you will not be
the first to succeed.

Habanos R US
http://www.members.tripod.com/habanos_r_us

-----Original Message-----
From: Alex [mailto:akag76@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2003 9:07 AM
To: 'Ramon'
Subject: RE: Question for seller -- Item #3203381181

Are you guys emailing all my costumers with you web site? If so, I am
sorry but I will be forced to shut you down.

UPDATE: January 24th, 2003 - How does Alex define his cigars as authentic Montecristo No. 2's???

-----Original Message-----
From: Alex Kagan [mailto:akag76@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 4:21 PM
To: Ramon
Subject: Re: Question for seller -- Item #3203381181

Well I do not care, I brought cigars from Cuba made by Cuban's from leaves
that where grown in Cuba tell me how those are not Cuban????????

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ramon" <habanos_r_us@hotmail.com>
To: "'Alex Kagan'" <akag76@hotmail.com>
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 6:37 PM
Subject: RE: Question for seller -- Item #3203381181

> No thanks...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alex Kagan [mailto:akag76@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 3:13 PM
> To: Ramon
> Subject: Re: Question for seller -- Item #3203381181
>
> Pretty cool site, I like it. Sorry for the blurry pictures I did not do
> it
> on purpose, I took them with my phone. So do you still want free cigar
> or
> what?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ramon" <habanos_r_us@hotmail.com>
> To: "'Alex Kagan'" <akag76@hotmail.com>
> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 5:40 PM
> Subject: RE: Question for seller -- Item #3203381181
>
>
> > You have been updated on our site.
> >
> > http://www.members.tripod.com/habanos_r_us
> >
> >

I always love seeing these bogus boxes that have all the labels displayed in pristine condition on top of the cigars. Funny (sad) thing is, so does wizard77 who has put a bid of $100.00 dollars for this piece of shit.

This seller has several counterfeit auctions going. We received additional photos of this Montecristo #2, which prove that they are blatant counterfeits. First, the serial number starts with AB and it has a factory code date of AUG02. Again, just like the joker above, we know that the code date should start with a B. Also, there are only 5 digits on the serial number and there MUST be 6 digits. His box also has the "VENDIDO EN CUBA: TIENDAS INTUR" stamp to make people think that it was approved by the Cuba Turism board.

Lastly, this seller is located from the #1 location of counterfeit Cuba cigar sellers - MIAMI!!!

Email from chicodon:

Thanks for the informative information...Ramon

>From: "Aaron Amadi" <aarona@rogers.com>
>To: "Cuba Libre" <habanos_r_us@hotmail.com>
>Subject: Re: Question for seller -- Item #752062960
>Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 23:36:38 -0500
>
>well like i said i dont know much bout cigars...and my couzin bout it 2
>weeks ago from cuba... i dont think its a duplicate because she told me that
>she bought it from the cigar factory of monte cristo while she had a tour
>through the factory. for that reason, for example the sticker that says
>Habano with yellow red lines isnt even used yet and brand u.... the same
>thing with the seal. the box wasnt sealed at all. i dont think u know what u
>talking about unless u r a cigar specialist from cuba what i doubt...lol
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Cuba Libre" <habanos_r_us@hotmail.com>
>To: <aarona@rogers.com>
>Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 4:41 PM
>Subject: Re: Question for seller -- Item #752062960
>
>
> > It is pretty obvious from the pictures you sent and your description on
>the
> > back of the box confirmed it.
> >
> > Ramon

Has posted several more counterfeit auctions, all as blatant as her others. Here is a list of her counterfeits.

Here is an auction for a box of counterfeit Cohiba Esplendidos. From the picture itself it is difficult to tell if this is a counterfeit box or not, and this is when you NEED to ask the seller additional questions. It is a common ploy for counterfeit sellers to lift pictures from other auctions. Here is the sellers response to our request for additional pictures:

>From: Kent <k.plosz@shaw.ca>
>To: habanos_r_us@hotmail.com
>Subject: Re: Question for seller -- Item #751832596
>Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 12:29:40 -0700
>
>Like I said before, I have no digital camera.
>The Serial # is DH032446

So, OBVIOUSLY, the picture that he is using on his auctions are not that of his own. Sure a lot of sellers of authentic items use pictures that are not of their own, what's the big deal. Most sellers are selling items that do not have a high counterfeit rate - like Cuban cigars. The clue that rubber stamped this seller's auction as counterfeit was the serial number that he provided. This serial number is NOT currently being used as of yet.

Here is another counterfeit auction from brujaa. Authentic Partagas 8-9-8's (varnished or unvarnished) do not have the green warranty seal applied to the box.

We have just received an email from brujaa (which means WITCH in Spanish). Hopefully, this witch will take some of the money that she steals from people and put it towards some good English lessons.

blatant are you mom and counterfeits is your father ,i sent now this email at ebay claim because all this are you you don't not about tobaccos blatant. i can take your addres about ebay .

Ericka
>From: habanos_r_us@hotmail.com
>To: brujaa@hotmail.com
>Subject: Question for seller -- Item #751971451
>Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 11:15:37 PST
>
>these are blatant counterfeits
>--------------------
>
>
>Question from: habanos-r-us
>Title of item: COHIBA "PARTAGAS"
>Seller: brujaa
>Starts: Dec-30-02 07:51:13 PST
>Ends: Jan-02-03 07:51:13 PST
>Price: Starts at $170.00
>To view the item, go to: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=751971451
>
>
>
> Visit eBay, The World's Online Marketplace TM at http://www.ebay.com

This auction for Cohiba Esplendidos is not only counterfeit, his box is just plain filthy. Take a look at this picture, it is a GREAT picture in that this is the size and quality of pictures that all sellers should post, if not, they should ALWAYS be considered as counterfeiters. This pictures shows that there are a couple of things wrong with the box, first, take a look at the HALLMARKS which are very messy. If this box were authentic the HALLMARKS will be clean and crisp. Second, if you look close this box is using the NIVELACUSO coding scheme, but it shows a NEW WARRANTY SEAL. Habanos SA stopped using the NIVELACUSO coding scheme at the end of 1998, the NEW WARRANTY SEAL was introduced in 1999. In other words, the NIVELACUSO box scheme was never used with the NEW WARRANTY SEAL.

There are a couple of things that we find disturbing with this box. The biggest problem that we have is that the seller is located in MIAMI, and if you haven't heard us say it before, WE HAVE NEVER SEEN AN AUTHENTIC BOX SOLD OUT OF FLORIDA - EVER!!! Another common practice is that of shilling (creating false accounts to bid up your own auction), which is illegal, but we have seen many counterfeiters use this practice. After all, there moral standards are that high to begin with.

Counterfeit 1: Romeo y Julieta Churchills
These are some of the funniest Cuban cigars that we have seen in some time. The pictures speak for themselves. Click on the small pictures to enlarge. The first picture shows a really bad warranty label. Some of the "red" serial number is actually printed on the green part of the label! Also, this box is wrapped in a celo wrapper. Take a look at the last picture on the right. It has the code "FPG OSSN"; which when translated means that this box was suppose to have come out of the Partagas factory on 09/91!!! Damn, I only wish that were true. As everyone knows, this box, if it was rolled in the '91 would be selling at Christies Auction house and not on eBay. Not only that, but if this were rolled in '91 it certainly would not have the new warranty seal on the box.

You gotta love these counterfeit sellers, they provide us with a never ending supply of comedy.

Counterfeit #1: COHIBA "25 ESPLENDIDOS" HECHO A MANO
If the counterfeit seller did one thing right, it was to put nice, big, clear pictures of this counterfeit box on his auction. From the first picture (top-left) we can easily tell that this is a counterfeit box. the green warranty seal is not only placed in a wrong location (it should be located under the Cohiba logo), but it has also been applied incorrectly with the first fold passing through the middle of the label and not through the Cuban shield. The second picture is a GOOD one! take a look at the substandard printing of the red serial numbers, also notice that the red ink smeared on the label. The last picture (bottom left) is also a very good picture to examine. Here you will notice that the Hallmarks were actually rubber-stamped onto the box. Authentic boxes are branded onto to the box and actually leave a depression.

• Washington Post
• Sun-Sentinel News
• CNN
• CubaNET
• Granma (originating from Cuba

• Habano Festival 2002, Sun-Sentinel News
• Cigar Aficionado Article on Habano Festival
• Rafael Bernardo's Report on Habano Festival