Police: Seven Longview Retailers Sell Tobacco During Undercover Sting

LONGVIEW – Seven Longview businesses have been cited in a tobacco undercover sting operation. Last Friday’s undercover sting utilized 14-16 year old minors, accompanied by Longview Police Officers, who entered stores and attempted to purchase tobacco products. The stings are funded through a grant issued by the Texas Comptroller’s Office.

The Texas Health and Safety Code states that it is unlawful for a person to sell, give or cause to be sold or given a cigarette or tobacco product to someone who is younger than 18 years of age. A violation of this statute is punishable as a class C misdemeanor and the fine is over $500.00.

Citations were issued to the clerk at each location that sold tobacco to the undercover minor and the clerk will have to appear at the Longview Municipal Court to resolve the citation. The undercover officer/minor teams went to 50 Longview area tobacco retailers and of those, 7 retailers sold tobacco to the undercover minors.The locations that sold tobacco products to minors include:

Food Fast, 1316 Alpine Rd
Super 1 Foods, 1217 E. Marshall
Food Fast, 427 E. Loop 281
E-Z Mart, 1910 Judson Rd
Valero, 3400 Gilmer Rd
J&B Food Mart, 1600 S. Green
Briana’s Stop & Shop (Texaco), 3122 Estes Pkwy