The Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted undercover stings in Temecula, busting adults for attempting to sell booze to minors. In a sting operation carried out on December 19, the department nabbed an adult on Winchester Road for selling alcohol to a minor, as part of their Minor Decoy Operation. Retailers caught in the act face a hefty minimum fine of $250 and are required to complete community service, according to details released by the Sheriff's Department.
The operation included the Decoy Shoulder Tap, where minors under supervision sought to snag alcohol from adults outside shops. This leg of the sting yielded one citation on Margarita Road and led to two individuals booked for narcotics possession and paraphernalia. As ABC Director Joseph McCullough said, "Businesses should always check IDs before selling alcohol."
With 25 percent of fatal crashes involving underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, operations like these are part of the arsenal to keep young drivers sober and alive on the streets.
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), which regulates the liquid vice among Californians, funds such operations through grants, hoping to extend Ripple effects of enforcement until July 2024. The ABC continues its mission to provide service and public safety via licensing, education, and enforcement.
