Alcohol, tobacco compliance checks reveal violations

Four Barron County alcohol and tobacco businesses failed to pass compliance checks conducted by the Barron County Sheriff’s Department over the past couple of weeks.

With the assistance of the WI Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement and through a grant with the Barron County Community Coalition to keep kids safe, the Barron County Sheriff’s Department conducted 22 compliance checks across the county on alcohol and tobacco establishments, according to a news release.

The purpose of the operation was to check establishments to make sure products are not sold to underage subjects. WI Alcohol and Tobacco also checked places for any statewide licensing issues.

Out of the 22 locations, four businesses — Village Tobacco Shop of Rice Lake, Stump Lake Liquor of Rice Lake, Guilty Vibez of Barron, and Ben and Maggie’s Town Pump of Cameron — failed these checks for county ordinance violations, the Sheriff’s Department said.

The news release further stated that as a result of the joint operation, Ben and Maggie’s also did not have a licensed bartender and had illegally obtained alcohol from a non-licensed source on premise and was closed down for the night by WI Alcohol and Tobacco.

Guilty Vibez at the Barron and the Turtle Lake locations were also closed temporarily for inspection and searched by WI Alcohol and Tobacco. A substantial amount of product were seized for:

Unauthorized transfer of cigarette/tobacco/vape products from one retail to another.

Un-invoiced tobacco products.

Obtaining untaxed vapor products from unauthorized source.

The Barron County Sheriff’s Department, Turtle Lake Police Department, Cameron Police Department, Barron Police Department and WI Alcohol and Tobacco are continuing to investigate these violations.

The following locations passed the alcohol or tobacco checks: Wal-Mart Liquor, Rice Lake; Azara Smoke and Vape, Rice Lake; Walgreens, Rice Lake; Mr. Bobs, Rice Lake; Northwoods Market, Rice Lake; 3rd Base Bar, Rice Lake; Bob and Steve’s BP, Cumberland; Family Dollar, Cumberland; Synergy, Cumberland; Synergy, Turtle Lake; The Get Go Bar, Turtle Lake; Synergy, Almena; BP, Cameron; B&B Bar, Chetek; Sassy’s, Chetek; Marathon Gas, Chetek; Whiskey Way, Chetek; and Guilty Vibes, Turtle Lake.

“We are very pleased that a majority of our establishments passed our checks” Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said. “We will work with the failed establishments on education efforts to make sure they understand the dangers of selling to our youth. It is everyone’s job across the county to keep our kids safe and with five proms and several other summer events around the corner this is a good reminder that together we can keep our kids safe.

“We will continue to work with local police departments, state agencies and other partners over the summer on other prevention efforts including additional compliance checks, more education events and increased targeted patrol operations to keep our county safe,” the sheriff concluded.