Monthly returns and payment of tax by distributors and unclassified importers. Exemption from licensing requirements for retailers of taxed tobacco products and unclassified importers.

(b) (1) Any person who does not acquire untaxed tobacco products, but acquires taxed tobacco products for sale at retail shall not be licensed as a distributor under this chapter, and shall be required, during the period that such person is a retailer of taxed tobacco products, to apply for and retain a dealer's license under chapter 214. Each such retailer shall maintain records that detail (A) the persons from whom, the quantities in which and the dates on which tobacco products were acquired by such retailer, and (B) any other information deemed necessary by the commissioner. (2) If, in the commissioner's discretion, the enforcement of this chapter would not be adversely affected, the commissioner, by regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter, may exempt unclassified importers from the licensing requirements of section 12-330b and from the monthly reporting requirements of this section and, in lieu thereof, may require unclassified importers having untaxed tobacco products in their possession, not later than twenty-four hours after coming into possession of such untaxed tobacco products, (A) to file a report with the commissioner in such form as the commissioner prescribes and bearing notice to the effect that false statements made in such report are punishable, and (B) to pay the amount of tax shown to be due thereon.