Clerks at five Aptos stores cited for selling alcohol or tobacco to minor decoy

Clerks at five Aptos stores were cited after the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said they sold alcohol or tobacco to a minor during a decoy operation.

Clerks at Manuel’s, Marianne’s, Seacliff Plaza and Aptos St. BBQ were cited for giving alcohol to a minor and a delivery clerk at Safeway Gas was cited for giving tobacco to a minor.

Those stores were some of the 13 locations in the Aptos and Soquel area that were part of a minor decoy operation. The Sheriff’s Office used an undercover minor under supervision to try buying tobacco and alcohol. The other locations refused sales.

The Sheriff’s Office said the goal of the operation is to limit the amount oc access minors have to alcohol and tobacco.