Two people were issued citations during an Alcoholic Beverage Control “shoulder tap” operation in San Jacinto this weekend, authorities said.
During Saturday’s operation, two people allegedly agreed to purchase alcohol for a minor and were cited, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Shoulder tap operations involve minors under the direct supervision of law enforcement who stand outside of a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy them alcohol. The minors also indicate that they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol themselves.
If an adult agrees to buy them alcohol that person can be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for such a crime is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service, according to the sheriff’s department.
“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” ABC Director Paul Tupy said. “By preventing underage drinking, we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”
The operation was funded by ABC’s Alcohol Policing Partnership program and the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.