According to a recent report by Winchesterstar, the Winchester City Police conducted a covert operation targeting local e-cigarette and tobacco stores in order to investigate if these establishments were illegally selling nicotine-containing products to individuals under the age of 21. Winchester Police Chief Amanda Behan expressed her profound disappointment with the outcome of the operation.
According to information provided by the police, an undercover operation visited a total of eight shops, and it was discovered that employees at seven of these shops sold e-cigarettes and e-liquids containing nicotine to undercover officers who were under 21 years old, making up 90% of the total number of inspections conducted.
Beahan expressed her initial hope for more e-cigarette and tobacco shops to ensure their employees do not sell these products to minors, as they can only be purchased by those above 21 years old. However, the reality of the violations did not come as a surprise to her.
Ben Han further pointed out that the secret undercover operation by the police was conducted on October 19, with the assistance of their community resources team and the criminal investigation department.
Shop owners accused of violations will face fines. The first offense will result in a fine of $100, while a second offense will require a fine of $200. For three or more offenses, fines can reach up to $500.
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