Eight county businesses were cited for selling alcohol or tobacco products to minors during a sting operation last weekend.

The Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office along with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) conducted compliance checks on 27 liquor licensees by using under-aged decoys who attempted to make purchases. Twenty of the 27 refused to sell to decoys, but seven others did and will receive violation reports. In addition, the clerks involved in the sales will be cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor in 86th District Court.

Clerks who sold to minors undercover county representatives were cited at stores in Northport, as well as Suttons Bay, Leland and Bingham townships. The businesses were also cited to the MLCC for enforcement action.

Liquor licenses of three additional merchants were cited, but their names were not released by the MLCC. They are located in Kasson, Solon and Elmwood townships. Because the Enterprise does not have a complete list of all eight businesses that made illegal sales, it is not releasing the names of the five stores that were cited.

However, the names of businesses that refused to sell alcohol to underaged decoys was released. They include Scott’s Harbor Grill, J & J Food Shop, Boone’s Prime Time Pub, Anderson’s IGA, Glen Arbor Grocery, Empire E-Z Mart, Deering’s Food Market, Cedar Tavern, Stubb’s Tavern, Sugarfoot Saloon, Cedar City Market, Empire Village Inn, Joe’s Friendly Tavern, Art’s Tavern. Boonedocks, Michigan Trader’s, Gabe’s Country Market, Grumpy’s Market, Benchwarmers, and the Leland Lodge.

In a similar compliance check investigation, an under-aged decoy attempted to purchase tobacco from 10 county retailers, with nine refusing to sell. A clerk from a Suttons Bay store who did not check the youth’s identification and sold cigarettes was cited for furnishing tobacco to a minor.

Businesses that refused to sell tobacco to underaged decoys were Rite Aid Pharmacy, Dockside Party Store, Speedway Station, Kwik Mart, J & J Amoco, NJ’s Grocery, Hansen Foods, Barrels & Barrels, and Lake Leelanau BP.