ATHENS - Area businesses willing to sell alcohol to minors got a surprise visit from Athens-Clarke police recently. <br>
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The department's Alcohol Responsibility Unit conducted its first set of enforcement checks on Jan. 16, 18 and 29. Police Chief Jack Lumpkin said Thursday that 22 businesses were randomly selected from those that failed compliance checks last year. <br>
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Authorities said 15 businesses failed this year's round of checks. Nearly 70 percent of the time, underage operatives were sold alcoholic beverages at the businesses. Employees who sold them alcohol were cited by police. <br>
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``We were hoping to find a higher level of compliance than we had to this point,'' Lumpkin said. <br>
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Athens-area businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages will continue to be randomly checked and cited if not in compliance, police said. Convenience stores the worst-performing category in last year's checks package stores, restaurants, grocery stores and a drug store, were targeted in January. <br>
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Police said the drug store and grocery stores failed the January checks, with convenience stores coming in second with an 89 percent failure rate. <br>
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During last year's checks, underage operatives went to more than 200 businesses, and were able to buy alcohol from more than half of them. Businesses were notified beforehand of the test run, and no citations were issued. <br>
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In Georgia, the penalty for selling alcohol to minors is up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. The penalty for an alcohol purchase by an underage person is a maximum six months in jail and a $300 fine. <br>
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Administrative hearings for businesses that failed January's checks will be Feb. 22, Lumpkin said.
