In November, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Criminal Investigations Division began an “extensive” undercover operation into the sale of tobacco and alcohol products to minors. The months-long investigation, coined “Operation Nico-TEEN” by investigators, led to the arrests of five people in the county Tuesday afternoon.
Following numerous citizen complaints that local convenience stores and vape shops were selling nicotine-derived tobacco products (vapes) and alcohol to minors, SCSO investigators began conducting an investigation utilizing underage individuals to purchase nicotine-derived vapes and alcohol from local convenience and vape stores. During the investigation of approximately 30 stores throughout Toccoa-Stephens County, five stores were found to be out of compliance with state minimum sales age and identification check threshold laws. This means that at least five store employees sold vapes and/or alcohol to individuals under the legal age limit of 21 years old.
At approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday, SCSO investigators visited the five out-of-compliance stores. In less than two hours, all five individuals who were found to have sold vapes and/or alcohol to minors were arrested without incident and transported to the Stephens County Jail.
“This is an ongoing effort to curb the sale of tobacco-based products to underage children in Stephens County,” said Sheriff Rusty Fulbright. “Concerned parents have cried out, and we are doing more than just listening. We still do not know the long-term side effects of nicotine-derived vapes, but our children should not be the experiment.
“This vaping epidemic is harmful to our community and our families in more ways than we may realize, both short and long term. Whether it’s happening in the schools or on the street, we will continue doing what we can to keep these harmful devices out of our children’s hands. This is about the safety of our children, and those who are selling to our children do not care about their health. We will not tolerate the distribution of vape products to our teens and preteens.”
Three of the suspects are from Toccoa, one from Martin and one from Queens, N.Y.