Nassau and Queens officials announced Monday the confiscation of more than 60,000 cartons of illegal cigarettes.

Three Chinese nationals were arrested at a warehouse on 44th Avenue in Corona, Queens, where the 600,000 packs of counterfeit cigarettes and $350,000 in cash were taken by authorities. A tip to the federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agency kicked off the investigation about five months ago, officials said.

Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice said the imitation cigarettes held a street value of $3.5 million and cost the county approximately $1 million in tax revenue. Rice said they also posed a significant danger.

"They fail to abide by New York State law that requires them to be fire-safe," she said. "They don't automatically extinguish after a certain period of time."

Officials said the cigarettes, which were sold for $25 a carton, compared to $70 for a legitimate carton, contained illegally high levels of tar and nicotine. It is believed the cigarettes were produced in China.

The three suspects are charged with forgery and tax violations, and could serve up to 15 years in prison, if convicted.