Police: Alcohol sting catches pair of Merced shops selling to underage customers
The Merced Police Department conducted a sting operation using minors recently to try to ensure that local businesses were not selling alcohol to underage customers.
Under the direct supervision of police officers, the undercover juveniles entered businesses that are licensed to sell alcohol and then attempted to purchase beer, wine or liquor, according to a press release from the Merced Police Department. The operation was conducted on April 8.
Two businesses did sell alcohol to a minor, police said: the 7-11 located at 1810 R Street and Bernie’s Liquors at 2332 G St.
Eight other businesses where the minors were sent in by police would not sell them alcohol, according to MPD. Those businesses were Shell Gas Station at 1720 R Street, Shell Gas Station at 1245 R Street, 7-11 at 77 East Olive Ave., 7-11 at 1107 West Olive Ave., Zoomy’s at 3006 G Street, ARCO at 3100 G Street, Village Liquors at 2939 G Street and Circle K at 2104 G Street.
“It is encouraging when the employees of these restaurants check identifications and refuse to sell alcohol to minors,” said Sgt. Dan Dabney. “This will help keep Merced’s youth safe.”
Police said the two businesses that did sell alcohol to minors will have administrative action taken against them. That could include a fine, a suspension of their liquor license, the permanent revocation of the license or all of the above.
Operations involving minors have been conducted by local law enforcement agencies throughout the state since the 1980s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 percent to 50 percent. When conducted on a routine basis, the rate has dropped in some cities to 10 percent or below, according to police data.
In 1994, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the use of underage decoys is a valid tool of law enforcement to ensure that liquor licensees are complying with the law.
