Local off licences caught red-handed
On Wednesday 20th July, Furzedown Safer Neighbourhood Team assisted officers from Wandsworth Borough Council Trading Standards to conduct a number of test purchases at off licences on the ward. The operation was to tackle the issue of the sale of alcohol to under 18s and focused on four premises in Furzedown which had been highlighted by local residents as selling alcohol to young people under the age of 18.
The officers were assisted by a 16 year old girl who would enter the store and attempt to purchase alcohol. During the 2 hour operation, four licensed premises were visited by the team.
Three premises sold alcohol to a person under the age of 18, making no attempt to verify their age.
They will now be subject to further scrutiny by the council and kept under close observation by police and trading standards officers.
The penalties for selling alcohol to underage persons can include a fine of up to £5000, prosecution and revocation of the alcohol licence.
Cllr Jonathan Cook said: "The council’s trading standards team regularly conducts these operations with the support of the police to make sure that we are doing all we can to keep alcohol out of the hands of young people. Shopkeepers who fail this important test run the very real risk of losing their licenses and it could end up costing them their businesses."
July 28, 2011