Crime & Safety
Five Danbury Stores Caught Selling Alcohol to Minors
Three grocery stores and two package stores cited in sting operation Saturday.
Five Danbury package and grocery stores were cited for selling liquor to minors in a joint sting operation by state and local enforcement on Saturday.
Officers from Danbury’s Special Investigations Division and the state Department of Consumer Protection Liquor Control Division assisted two volunteer minors who had been trained and provided by the Governor's Prevention Partnership.
The minors entered each store and attempted to buy alcohol. If the cashier asked for identification, the minors provided their actual IDs.
Businesses that allegedly sold to a minor will be brought before the Liquor Control Commission for an administrative hearing, at which time they will have an opportunity to address the charges.
A total of 44 package stores and grocery stores were tested for compliance. Five stores failed by allegedly selling alcoholic liquor to one of the minors:
- Padanaram Wine and Liquor, 56 Padanaram Road
- Tienda Ecuador, 72 Lake Ave.
- Cave Wine and Spirits, 42 Lake Ave. Ext.
- Stop and Shop, Salame Plaza, Lake Ave.
- Danbury Food and Variety Store, 121 White Street
The routine compliance checks are intended to keep stores from selling alcohol to minors, however they are not meant to hurt local businesses, according to Consumer Protection Commissioner William Rubenstein.
“We don’t try to trick or entice establishments to sell alcoholic beverages to youth,” Rubenstein said in a release Monday. “If asked for proof of age before making a liquor purchase, the volunteer youth will hand over his or her actual photo ID, which clearly indicates that they are underage.”
The Commissioner thanked Police Chief Alan Baker and the Danbury Police Department for their assistance on the compliance operation.
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