Location: Gisborne
District: Eastern

Licensed Premise Operation

Short description: Licensed Premise Operation

Full description:

MINORS PURCHASING ALCOHOL

On two consecutive days, Thursday 27 December 2012 and Friday 28 December 2012, saw Police visit 18 off-licensed premises and 15 on-license premises as part of an operation carried out by Police. This followed a similar joint operation in September when 3 out of the 17 off licensed premises visited and 3 out of the 15 on licensed premises visited, sold to minors involved in the operation.

These operations result from the Police's strategy to change the drinking culture around alcohol consumption particularly amongst our youth and to prevent alcohol harm related incidents/offences during the BW and Rhythm and Vines Events which is held annually over the Christmas/New Year period.
The operations were conducted along the lines of similar Controlled Purchase Operations for tobacco in that a volunteer below the legal age attempted to make a purchase while being observed by an adult supervisor. The volunteers sold to were 15 and 16 years of age.

Gisborne's Alcohol Harm Related Officer Sergeant Marlene Nikora said; "The results were disappointing in light of the fact that one of the off licensed premises who breached in September breached again by selling to one of the volunteers. However, it was good to see that none of the 15 on licensed premises made sales this time around, although entry was gained at the door into a couple of the premises, no actual sales were made at the bar."

Of the 17 off-licensed premises visited three made sales.
Two out of the three convenience stores visited made sales.
None of the three supermarkets visited made sales.
One of the stand alone bottle stores visited made sales.
None of the two tavern bottle stores visited made a sale.
Of the 15 on-licensed premises visited none of them made sales.
All premises visited will be written to and those that made sales will be requested to meet with the three agencies to discuss what action will be taken.

At this stage it is envisioned that those duty managers and licensees who sold to minors will appear in front of the Liquor Licensing Authority.

ENDS

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