ABC store crackdown on underage sales leads to 334 criminal charges in Mecklenburg County in August

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — As students returned to schools, colleges and universities last month, 12 counties across North Carolina conducted undercover compliance checks at ABC stores to promote responsible alcohol sales and prevent underage access. 

Two local jurisdictions took part in the operation by the North Carolina ABC Officers Association. As the most populated county in the state, Mecklenburg had the highest number of criminal charges at 334, at 1.6 per location checked, with 15 fake IDs accepted. Sixty-six percent of the charges were related to underage possession or selling to a minor. 

There were 208 locations checks, also resulting in 51 civil violations. 

Mecklenburg also has the largest law enforcement division out of the state’s ABC boards. 

The B21 campaign used supervised underage purchasers (ages 16-19) instructed to present their actual driver’s license if asked. Despite clear protocols, the association says officers observed repeated failures to check IDs or to read the ID correctly at multiple locations. 

In Monroe, there were 62 location checks, with five criminal charges, at .08 per check, and five civil violations. The state says that the city’s data were in line with counties of its size. There is only one ABC officer who covers the city. 

Statewide, 578 locations were checked, leading to 657 criminal charges and 91 civil violations referred to the NC ABC Commission. 

All statistics are exclusive to the North Carolina ABC Officers Association and do not include enforcement actions by NC Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE).