Smugglers with ties to terrorist groups are acquiring millions of dollars from illegal cigarette sales and funneling the cash to organizations such as al Qaeda and Hezbollah, federal law enforcement officials say, prompting a nationwide crackdown on black market tobacco. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has more than 300 open cases of illicit cigarette trafficking — including several with terrorist links — up from only a handful five years ago, ATF sources said. “This is a major priority for us,” said Michael Bouchard, assistant director of the ATF. “The deeper we dig into these cases, the more ties to terrorism we’re discovering.” Full Story