Press Release  Boston Liquor Store Charged with Selling Alcohol to Minors

Boston — This weekend, Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) Investigators charged a Boston liquor store with selling alcohol to minors. Quality Mart, located at 21 Massachusetts Avenue, will be summonsed to appear before the ABCC to address numerous charges.

While at the location, Investigators further found 122 minors in possession, transporting or attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages and 112 individuals in possession of false identification. The underage individuals were from 18 to 20 years of age. Approximately 49 cases of beer and 134 bottles of various types of alcoholic beverages were confiscated by Investigators. Based on the national standard for determining “binge drinking”, the confiscating of this alcohol prevented delivery to approximately 1500 underage individuals.

Investigators also conducted enforcement efforts at numerous bars and “pub crawls” to prevent the sale of alcohol to people who were underage or intoxicated. 

The enforcement effort marked the 2017 kick off of the ABCC’s “Operation Safe Spring” an enhanced effort aimed at reducing underage drinking during potentially dangerous times of year when college graduations and high school graduations and proms take place throughout the Commonwealth.

Enforcement primarily happens in the area of specific liquor stores that have historically had a serious problems with underage kids purchasing alcoholic beverages with a false id or through adults buying alcoholic beverages for them.

“Stepped-up monitoring and enforcement can save lives and prevent tragedies before they happen,” said Treasurer Goldberg. “Operation Safe Spring takes immediate and effective steps that result in the direct prevention of underage drinking and acts as a long-term deterrent to bar and package store owners serving and selling to underage individuals.”

The program focuses on front-line prevention, with investigators often calling a teen’s parents when violations occur. ABCC officials say that most parents are unaware that their children are drinking alcohol, and that the intervention is a powerful tool toward family involvement in addressing the problem of underage drinking.

“We want to draw attention to the dangers of alcohol abuse and underage drinking,” said Jean Lorizio, Chair of the ABCC. “Underage drinking can have devastating consequences for minors and their loved ones.”

Statistics show that three teens die from drinking and driving every day. Alcohol intoxication has also been reported to be involved in 47% of homicides and 23% of suicides involving people under 21. In Massachusetts alone, the overall cost of alcohol abuse by youth is estimated at $1.4 billion.

The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) is an agency under the Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General Deb Goldberg. Its overall objective is to provide uniform control over the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, and possession of alcoholic beverages in the state. For more information on the ABCC please visit www.mass.gov/abcc.

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