The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office targeted alcohol sales to minors during a recent sting operation in the East County and Encinitas, officials said this weekend.
Two violators were cited, officials said.
On Aug. 13, deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and two minor decoys conducted Minor Decoy and Shoulder Tap Operations at various locations in Santee, Lakeside and Encinitas.
“During the Minor Decoy operation, the minor decoy visited retailers at six locations and attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages under the direct supervision of peace officers,” a sheriff’s statement said. “One of the locations, a bar in Santee, sold alcohol to a minor decoy.”
The “Shoulder Tap” operation was conducted in front of six local retail liquor stores where a minor, under the direct supervision of a peace officer, asked adults to purchase alcohol for them.
“The minor indicated in some way they were underage and could not purchase the alcohol,” according to the sheriff’s statement. “Thirty-six adults were contacted and one adult purchased alcohol for the minor.”
The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service, according to authorities.
The ABC conducts compliance checks statewide to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunk driving fatalities than the general adult population, authorities said.
The SDSO partners with ABC through the Alcohol Policing Partnership grant to help prevent underage drinking and other crimes that may occur at ABC- licensed establishments.
In July, the SDSO received an APP grant of $100,000. The funds are being spent in the communities patrolled by the Sheriff’s Office to reduce alcohol-related crimes and educate ABC-licensed businesses, according to deputies.
Anyone with information on licensed liquor establishments providing alcohol to minors can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 888-580- 8477, or by calling the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 858-868-3200.