Western Bay of Plenty liquor outlets refused to sell alcohol to minors in an undercover sting by the Bay of Plenty Times. Two teenagers, aged 16 and 15, accompanied by the Bay Times, visited 10 liquor outlets across the Western Bay of Plenty in an undercover sting to see whether alcoholwould be sold to minors on Thursday afternoon. The investigation was to test whether liquor outlets would sell alcohol to someone without identification after the young-looking buyer claimed to be 18 years old. The teenagers went into five liquor outlets each and attempted to buy alcohol. If they had not asked for identification, the plan was for the teenagers to enter an incorrect Eftpos pin to ensure the sale was not completed. But the sting produced positive results - the 10 liquor outlets refused to sell alcohol to the teens without identification. Staff at six shops asked for identification immediately as the teenagers walked inside. Workers at four scanned the products before asking for identification. Sergeant Chris Summerville said the results were very encouraging given the work liquor licensing Sergeant Nigel McGlone does with liquor outlet owners and showed owners were taking responsibility and should be congratulated. It meant fewer juveniles were getting intoxicated and turning up in town causing problems. The liquor outlets visited were Cherrywood Liquor (Cherrywood), Brookfield Four Square (Brookfield), Hillsdene Cellars (Cameron Rd), Greerton Four Square (Greerton), McCallums (Greerton), Gate Pa Liquor (Gate Pa), Harties Liquor Store (Maungatapu), Omanu Wines and Spirits (Omanu), Mount Wine Barrel (Maunganui Rd) and Mount Liquor Mart (Maunganui Rd).
