South Lake Tahoe Police Department and ABC arrest two for furnishing alcohol to minors

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Two adults were arrested for furnishing alcohol to minors during an operation conducted by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department and California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) on November 11, 2023.

In what is called a "shoulder tap," a minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement stood outside of a liquor or convenience store and asked the two suspects to buy them alcohol. The minor indicated they were underage and could not purchase alcohol. The two adults agreed to purchase alcohol for the underage person and were cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor.

The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from ABC through the department’s Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) program.

Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).