Police conduct two stings on underaged buying

(ST. CLAIR COUNTY) – Police say a party store and a gas station in Port Huron were caught selling alcohol to underage police decoys during a sting involving 30 businesses.

Port Huron officers conducted the sting Monday, checking 30 businesses for compliance focused on the underage sale of alcohol, according to authorities.

Police said underage decoys were sent into retail stores licensed by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission to sell alcohol.

Officials found 28 businesses were in compliance by refusing to sell alcohol to the underage decoys.

Two stores were cited for selling alcohol to a minor — Joe’s Party Stop at 2304 Hancock Street and the Speedway store at 2611 Ravenswood Road, according to authorities.

Port Huron police said all licensed businesses should check IDs to prevent minors from buying alcohol.

 

In a separate sting operation, Port Huron Police recently conducted an underage decoy operation targeting 34 retail businesses within the City of Port Huron.

Thirty of the businesses passed the test by checking the decoy’s identification and refusing to sell them tobacco products.

However, police say four others failed to check ID.

Those failing were Marathon Gast Station on Military Street, Buscemi’s Beverage Barrel on Military, The Smoke Shop on 24th Street and Speedy Q Market on 10th Street.

The businesses were ticketed, and the fines for selling tobacco to minors are $100 for the first ticket, $200 for the second, and $2500 for the third.

This is the second ticket for the Marathon Gas Station, and the first for the other businesses cited.