IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Police cited employees at 10 Iowa City businesses after tobacco sale compliance checks at all of the city’s businesses licensed to sell tobacco.
The city says in a news release Tuesday that people younger than 18 worked with plainclothes officers between November 2013 and January 2014 and attempted to buy tobacco at the 64 licensed businesses.
At 54 businesses, workers refused to sell tobacco, but employees at 10 spots sold tobacco to the underage buyers.
Those who sold tobacco were charged with selling tobacco to persons under age 18. That’s a simple misdemeanor punishable with a $195 fine for the first offense.
The violations will be forwarded to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division for possible civil penalties against the businesses.
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