Jun
27
SANTA BARBARA, CA - 6/19/2008 - On Tuesday June 17, 2008, Santa Barbara Police Department Officers, along with two females, ages 15 and 17, worked a tobacco undercover buy operation. The hours of the operation were from noon to 8:00 p.m. The operation was funded by Santa Barbara County Public Health Department as part of their Tobacco Prevention Settlement Program. The purpose of this operation was to enforce Penal Code Section 308 (a) which makes it illegal to sell, give, or furnish tobacco products to any person under the age of 18.
The Officers formed two teams, each working with one of the female decoys. One officer worked in plain clothes, entering the store just before the decoy, so as to provide for her security and to observe what took place. The decoy would approach the clerk and ask for a particular brand of cigarettes. If the clerk asked for identification, the decoy would present her identification. If the clerk asked the decoy her age, she would tell the clerk her true age. If the clerk sold to the decoy, she would exit the store and give the cigarettes, change and receipt to the uniformed officer outside, who would enter the store and assist in issuing the clerk a citation, interviewing the clerk and taking photographs of the purchased cigarettes, change and any other evidentiary items. The cigarettes and change were returned to the store. The original buy money was collected to be used at the next location. During this operation, 40 locations were contacted. 7 citations were issued to clerks at the following locations:
Cantwell?s Market
AM/PM (1935 State St.)
Long?s Drug Store (3939 State St.)
7-Eleven (3430 State St.)
USA Gas (8 S Milpas St.)
Circle K (200 S Milpas St.)
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