Acting on a tip, police sent an underage police aide into the store to attempt to buy beer. When the buy was successful, police entered, cited the sales clerk, Lakhwinder Singh, 21, of Flushing, and then provided instruction in the law and training on how to identify underage persons attempting to purchase alcohol.
A different underage police aide returned to the store an hour later and was also able to buy beer.
Police then arrested the owner, Iqbal Singh, 46, of Flushing for a misdemeanor offense against the state Alcoholic Beverage Control laws and closed his business for the evening.The police also made two referrals against the store to the State Liquor Authority which has the power to suspend a store's license to sell alcohol.
"To my knowledge, this is the first time that a 'two-strike' rule has been employed in this county to enforce the law against underage alcohol sales," said Rockville Centre Police Commissioner Jack McKeon.
"Back in the 1980s, we were the first jurisdiction in Nassau and Suffolk counties to use underage agents to make these purchases and the practice has spread like wildfire," the commissioner said. "This weekend we became the first to send in two agents on the same night.
"This is an aggressive approach, but a fair one because we are providing immediate instruction and training after the first offense," the commissioner said.
Stores in Rockville Centre have become so careful that underage drinkers have been going into Hempstead to attempt purchases, he said. Friday's special operation was carried out in cooperation with Hempstead Village police.
"We believe that these visits will make it harder for local kids to buy beer in Hempstead," Commissioner McKeon said.
The police operatives, working with Sgt. James Vafeades, also made a purchase at the Mobil on the Run store on Peninsula Boulevard. Police charged Nicole McDonald, 31, of Hempstead with a misdemeanor underage alcohol sale and also provided her with instruction and training.
A different police aide was turned away from that store on a subsequent visit, the commissioner said.
