Alcohol traps identify under-age sellers

More than half the off-licences and almost a third of the
licensed premises targeted by police in their nationwide alcohol
blitz were found to be selling to under-18s.

An eight-week enforcement campaign by police, working in
partnership with the Home Office and local authorities, is
targeting alcohol-related disorder, and under-age and binge
drinking in 92 communities across the country.

At the end of the first month, police have carried out
‘sting’ operations on more than 600 licensed premises,
issued almost 2,000 fixed penalty notices and confiscated alcohol
from 1,764 under-18s.

Stephen Green, spokesperson on the campaign for the Association
of Chief Police Officers said: “The most disturbing aspect of
these figures is the level of premises selling alcohol to under-age
people. The police service is determined to bring the full weight
of the law down on licensees who act in such an irresponsible
manner.”

Powers at police disposal to tackle under-age and binge drinking
include closing rowdy premises for 24 hours, issuing fixed penalty
notices for being drunk and disorderly, and naming and shaming
off-licences, bars and clubs convicted of selling to underage
drinkers.