MANSFIELD — On Monday, investigators from the METRICH Enforcement Unit, Mansfield Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department and staff members from Community Action for Capable Youth conducted an Alcohol and Tobacco Compliance Operation.

During the operation, numerous young people under the age of 18 years old and young adults under the age of 21 years old were taken by investigators to various locations in Mansfield and Richland County in an attempt to purchase alcohol and tobacco products, which, if sold, is a violation of the Ohio Revised Code.

In all, 44 retail locations were checked and employees at eight of those locations sold some type of tobacco product or alcoholic beverage to a minor or an alcoholic beverage to a person under the age of 21 years. Each employee that illegally sold alcoholic beverages or tobacco products to an underage person or a minor was cited for the violation of law and will be required to appear in municipal court at a later date.

Ohio law forbids the sale of any alcoholic beverage to anyone under the age of 21 years old and tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years old. Unannounced compliance checks will continue to be conducted in the future to ensure compliance with the law.