EL CENTRO – On August 3, 2025, agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and El Centro Police Department officers arrested four suspects for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors.

The arrests were the result of a Shoulder Tap operation which targets adults who purchase alcohol for underage people. A minor under the direct supervision of a peace officer stands outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy them alcohol. The minor indicates in some way they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.

If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, agents can arrest and cite them 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.

Statistics show minors have a higher rate of drunk driving crashes than adults. About 25 percent of alcohol-related crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the American Medical Association, underage drinking can also increase chances of risky sexual behavior and teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, compromise health, and result in unintentional injury and death.

“It’s such a simple thing, to say “no”, and yet some adults still think it is ok to purchase alcohol for someone under 21.  There is nothing cool or okay about it.   Underage drinking can lead to bad decisions that put public safety at risk.  Thank you to the ABC agents and their local law enforcement partners for conducting these operations.,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.