Minors Purchasing Alcohol - Licensed Premises Operation
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