Published: March 26, 2008 02:33 am         

More than 20 local stores caught selling tobacco to minors

GREENVILLE — Two out of every three local businesses investigated in a recent sting by the Greenville Police Department were found selling tobacco to minors.

City of Greenville Community Relations Manager Lori Philyaw said 22 of 32 stores visited during last week’s operation — conducted in response to citizen complaints to the police department — were issued citations for being in violation of the state law prohibiting sales of tobacco to anyone under 18 years of age.

Under the law, clerks are required to verify the age of anyone asking to purchase cigarettes who appears to be less than 27 years of age through photo identification.

“Nobody was arrested,” Philyaw said, noting the infraction is a violation of a Class C misdemeanor statute, punishable by a maximum fine of $500 for each offense. “Citations were issued to each of the clerks who sold the tobacco products.”

The businesses issued citations ran the gamut, from small convenience stores to some of Greenville’s largest retailers and from the far north end of town to south of the Interstate 30 corridor.

The Greenville Police Department reported the following businesses sold tobacco products to a minor and were issued citations:

— Prime Stop No. 3, 900 Wolfe City Drive.

— Circle G, 1700 Stonewall Street

— Supermercado, 2601 King Street

— RK Mart, 3805 Lee Street

— Mr. J’s, 4220 Lee Street

— Sugarhill, 2500 Wellington Street

— Fancy Candy and Tobacco, 2506 Wellington Street

— K Food Mart, 4101 O'Neal Street

— Corner Store No. 4508, 4801 Moulton Street

— Max A Mart, 1219 Interstate 30

— Greencrest Xpressway, 715 Joe Ramsey Boulevard

— Nat 24, 200 Joe Ramsey Boulevard

— Xpressway, 4303 Joe Ramsey Boulevard

— Kwik Chek, 5004 Wesley Street

— CVS 5010 Wesley Street

— Texas Tobacco, 5108 Wesley Street

— Chevron Food Mart, 6307 Wesley Street

— Circle B, 6502 Wesley Street

— Walgreen's, 6905 Wesley Street

— On the Run Sprint 24, 7500 Wesley Street

— Wal-Mart, 7401 Interstate 30

— Git It Kwik, 9801 Wesley Street

Purchases were attempted at the following 10 businesses, where the clerks refused to sell tobacco to a minor:

— Xpressway 3901 Sockwell Boulevard

— Tiger Mart, 5101 Interstate 30

— Texaco Prime Burger 4414 Wesley Street

— Super One Foods, 4811 Wesley Street

— Greenville Food Mart, 5207 Wesley Street

— Rite Stop, 6002 Wesley Street

— Prime Stop, 6310 Wesley Street

— Brookshire's, 6410 Wesley Street

— Max a Mart, 7717 Wesley Street

— The Tobacco Store, 2715 Traders Road