“This operation demonstrates that there are adults willing to purchase alcohol for someone under 21. This is not a harmless act and can threaten public and personal safety. We thank the ABC agents and their local law enforcement partners for working to keep all of us safe.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
COPPEROPOLIS – On October 6, 2023, California ABC agents and Calaveras County Sheriff’s deputies cited three people for furnishing alcohol to minors. The law enforcement officers conducted a shoulder tap operation in Copperopolis.
Shoulder tap operations target adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21. The agents and deputies supervised a decoy under the age of 21 who stood outside of liquor or convenience stores and asked customers to buy alcohol. The decoy makes it clear that he/she is underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.
If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, he/she can be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.
“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “By preventing underage drinking we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”
Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
