Gilroy
– Using underage decoys, the Gilroy Police Department cited four
vendors for selling tobacco products to minors.
By Rachelle Gines Staff Writer
Gilroy – Using underage decoys, the Gilroy Police Department cited four vendors for selling tobacco products to minors.
The citations were part of the Tobacco Decoy Operation, a program that educates and reinforces tobacco laws to businesses, said GPD Sgt. Daniel Castaneda.
The decoy operation took place Friday after four teams of officers along with the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health Tobacco Prevention and Education delivered letters in May to all 31 tobacco vendors in Gilroy.
“The department is not looking to get people cited, but to get people to protect themselves from being cited through this operation,” Castaneda said.
Merchants will have an opportunity to contest their violation, and fines begin at $200 for first offenses, $300 for second and $1,000 for the third.
Castaneda said the program emphasizes that merchants verify ages of persons buying tobacco.
“The easiest thing someone can do is to ask someone for ID,” Castaneda said.
Another aspect of the program helps business determine how much window space can legally be used for tobacco advertisements.
“By law, businesses can not cover more than 25 percent of their windows with posters and signs advertising for tobacco,” Castaneda said.
The department plans similar tobacco operations in the future, and Castaneda said the police department and that the county last ran a similar program in 2001.
The businesses in violation are: Hecker Pass Liquor & Spirits, 221 First St.; El Paraiso Meat Market, 150 Leavesley Road Suite A; Rite Aid, 360 10th St.; Amerigas of 6991 Monterey Road.
