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​SNAP Trafficking Unit

What is SNAP Trafficking?

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Trafficking occurs when SNAP benefits (formerly known as Food Stamps) are illegally exchanged for cash, services, or anything other than food. For example, a store owner may give a SNAP recipient cash at a percentage of their balance in SNAP benefits, or exchange SNAP benefits for drugs or other non-allowable goods such as cigarettes.  BFPP operates its SNAP Trafficking Unit with the mission of investigating instances of this type of fraud when it occurs in Pennsylvania.  This unit works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and with the USDA Office of Inspector General to investigate cases of SNAP trafficking.   

The official definition of SNAP Trafficking is: (1) The buying, selling, stealing, or otherwise effecting an exchange of SNAP benefits issued and accessed via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, card numbers and personal identification numbers (PINs), or by manual voucher and signature, for cash or consideration other than eligible food, either directly, indirectly, in complicity or collusion with others, or acting alone; (2) The exchange of firearms, ammunition, explosives, or controlled substances, as defined in section 802 of title 21, United (3) Purchasing a product with SNAP benefits that has a container requiring a return deposit with the intent of obtaining cash by discarding the product and returning the container for the deposit amount, intentionally discarding the product, and intentionally returning the container for the deposit amount; (4) Purchasing a product with SNAP benefits with the intent of obtaining cash or consideration other than eligible food by reselling the product, and subsequently intentionally reselling the product purchased with SNAP benefits in exchange for cash or consideration other than eligible food; or (5) Intentionally purchasing products originally purchased with SNAP benefits in exchange for cash or consideration other than eligible food.

How does BFPP investigate this?

BFPP's SNAP Trafficking Unit conducts SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card trafficking investigations of both store owners and SNAP recipients.  Store owners will be disqualified from participating as a SNAP approved vendor and recipients who are found to have trafficked their SNAP benefits must repay those benefits and are disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits.

Why is this important to the citizens of Pennsylvania?

SNAP Trafficking is happening in big cities and small towns alike throughout the Commonwealth.  Through the concerted efforts of the federal government and the Pennsylvania OSIG, individuals who engage in SNAP Trafficking are being held accountable.  

Penalties can include:

      • Federal or state criminal charges,
      • Federal or state criminal charges,
      • Lifetime disqualifications from receiving SNAP benefits,
      • Mandatory repayment of trafficked benefits,
      • The store owner's disqualification from participation in SNAP.

Further, SNAP Trafficking is not always a stand-alone crime.  Often these stores are also dealing in illegal drugs which further pollute communities.  SNAP Trafficking undermines the true purpose of the program, which is to feed impoverished families.