Just 2 Tuscaloosa Stores Sell Alcohol to Underage Buyer in Sting

Just two Tuscaloosa stores were caught breaking the law Thursday during an undercover police operation targeting the sale of alcohol to minors.

Stephanie Taylor, a spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa Police Department, said officers spent Thursday sending an underage buyer into 17 different retail and convenience stores across the city.

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Captain Phil Simpson, the commander of the department's vice unit, said in a press release that the operation was in direct response to concerns from residents who say it's too easy for young people to buy booze illegally.

“We conducted these compliance checks in response to several complaints from the community,” said Simpson. “We were pleased to find so many businesses were unwilling to sell to minors.

Store staff refused to sell at an encouraging 15 of those locations, Taylor said.

She said only two clerks working at different stores sold alcohol to the underage buyer, but did not identify which two stores were allegedly at fault.

Taylor said the staff responsible for the sales were each issued citations for selling alcohol to a minor and will be required to appear in Tuscaloosa Municipal Court.

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