HARTFORD, June 9 -- The Department of Consumer Protection announced today the results of a series of compliance checks conducted on Saturday, June 7th, to identify stores that would sell alcohol to persons under the legal age of 21.
On Saturday, June 7th in the town of Milford, agents from the Department’s Liquor Control Division conducted a joint undercover compliance operation with officers from the Milford Police Department and youth volunteers from the Governor’s Prevention Partnership. Thirty (30) package stores and grocery stores that sell beer were tested for compliance. Five (5) of these stores allegedly failed the compliance check by selling alcoholic liquor to the volunteer underage youth.
The five stores that allegedly failed are:
· Super Stop and Shop, 855 Bridgeport Avenue
· XPECT, 480 Boston Post Road
· Mike’s Package Store, 748 Boston Post Road
· Loading Dock Wine & Spirits, 1469-B Boston Post Road
· Woodmont Package Store, 1548 New Haven Avenue
“The routine compliance operations are not intended to hurt local businesses, but to remind them to be vigilant,” Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said. “Our goal is to identify any local businesses that sell to minors – knowingly or unknowingly -- and bring them back into compliance with state liquor laws. Permittees need to routinely check identification before selling liquor. During the compliance check, if the volunteer youth are asked their age before making a liquor purchase, they will hand over their actual ID, and tell their true age.”
The Commissioner thanked Police Chief Keith Mello and the men and women of the Milford Police Department for their efforts, and expressed his gratitude to the Governor’s Prevention Partnership for its ongoing support of these enforcement efforts.
The five stores that allegedly sold liquor to a minor will each be scheduled for an administrative hearing before the Liquor Control Commission, at which time they will have the opportunity to address the charges.
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