As part of the Department of Justice Law Enforcement Tobacco Prevention and Enforcement Grant, the Susanville Police Department engaged in the first of many planned undercover decoy stings last Thursday.
“The goal of this portion of the program is to gain 100% legal compliance from retailers to sell tobacco and nicotine products to only people 21 years of age or older,” explains Susanville Police Chief Kevin Jones.
Current law prohibits a person or retailer to sell tobacco products to a person under the age of 21. The decoy program uses an underage participant who attempts to purchase tobacco products.
“If asked by the retailer,” said Chief Jones, “the minor decoy tells them their true age and if requested, provides their true identification.”
The decoy is monitored and observed at all times by SPD Officers.
In all, according to Jones, the Enforcement Team visited ten retailers within the City of Susanville including Cheaper Cigarettes, Susanville Supermarket, Chevron Gas/Mini Mart, Beacon Gas/ Mini Mart, Rite Aid, Alliance Gas, Spirit Gas/Mini Mart, Walgreens, Susanville Shell Gas/Mini Mart and Diamond Mountain Mini Mart.
All but two of the retailers successfully rejected the minor decoy’s request by either asking their age or viewing their identification.
“Retail Clerks at Spirit Gas Station/Mini Mart and Rite Aid were not compliant with the law and were cited for providing tobacco products to a minor in violation of California Penal Code 308B.”
The applicable California code says that ‘every person who knowingly delivers or causes to be delivered to any residence in this state any tobacco products unsolicited by any person residing therein is guilty of a misdemeanor.’
The cases will be submitted to the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office for review. Cases will also be sent to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration for license review.
“The primary goal of this program is to gain 100% compliance from all our local retailers, ” said Chief Jones. “We appreciate all those who did not sell to the minor and appreciate the retailers who did and will learn from this operation.”
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