Police carried out another test purchase operation on Monday (November 8) as part of a crackdown on underage drinking in Leicester.
Undercover officers and a 14-year-old girl, posing as a customer, approached 18 off licences in the city centre, of those three sold alcohol to the youngster.
All three members of staff who sold the alcohol, at Fizz Pop in Queens Road, C Gopal & Sons in Burnmoore Street and Nats Off Licence in Grasmere Street, will now be interviewed and could receive a fine of up to £80.
The operation aims to warn shopkeepers and bar staff of the consequences of selling alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 years. Officers have run numerous test purchase operations since April as part of the Government funded project TKAP(**).
PC Jon Webb, an officer from the Neighbourhood Action Team in the city centre, said: “It is the first time that these three shops, who sold alcohol to the youngster, have been caught breaking the law in this way. We can only hope that being caught out will prevent them from doing it again.
“We are well aware that some youngsters look older than they are, but that is why it is so important to ask for identification from anyone who looks under the age of 21.
“By taking part in the Government funded project TKAP we have the ability to run test purchase operations more often, targeting underage drinkers and anti-social behaviour too.”
Anyone with information about alcohol being sold to underage youngsters should contact Leicestershire Constabulary on (0116) 222 2222 or Crimestoppers which is free* and anonymous on 0800 555 111.
*Some mobile phone service providers may charge for this call.
** Tackling Knife and Serious Youth Crime Action Programme
