Eight Northland liquor outlets caught selling booze to minors in police sting

Eight Northland liquor outlets have been caught selling booze to minors during two recent stings, shocking police. Photo / FIle

Northland police are shocked after their latest alcohol sting caught eight licensed premises selling liquor to minors.

Police and Northland District Health Board staff recently undertook two Controlled Purchase Operations at licensed premises throughout Northland.

The operations saw underage volunteers, aged 16 and 17, try to buy alcohol from licensed premises in Bay of Islands and Whangarei areas.

It resulted in eight sales to the youngsters, four from 11 outlets tested in the Bay of Islands and four from 23 outlets tested in the Whangarei operation.

Senior Constable Graeme Wright, alcohol harm reduction officer, Kerikeri police said the result was extremely disappointing.

"The four premises involved should have better systems in place regarding not selling alcohol to minors. These sales of alcohol should not be occurring. All applicants when they make application for a licence to sell alcohol state there are appropriate systems and procedures in place to prevent the sale of alcohol to underage people. Clearly this is not the case for these premises that sold alcohol to the volunteers."

He said the consequences when the licensees are reported to the authorities are major and can result in their licence to sell alcohol being suspended for several days, large fines and even the licence being cancelled.

Sergeant Howard Clement, alcohol harm reduction officer, Whangarei/Kaipara police said: "Police are disappointed that four Whangarei premises of 23 tested have failed the Controlled Purchase Operation which means one in six are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. In one alleged incident, three other young people without ID got alcohol at the same time.

"After more than 10 years of running the operations, with education, publicity and enforcement, this is poor. All premises selling or supplying alcohol are aware that we run these types of operations regularly so should not be surprised that they are being tested."

Controlled Purchase Operations are part of a programme to assess compliance with the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to try to address access to alcohol by minors.