One business fails alcohol check in St. Mary's

On July 24, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Alcohol Enforcement Unit conducted several alcohol compliance checks within St. Mary’s County.

The covert compliance checks involved using an underage sheriff’s office confidential informant. The informant was 19 years old and was accompanied by sheriff’s office Sgt. Robbert Merritt, both of whom were dressed in athletic wear. The informant was directed to enter the store and request or retrieve an alcoholic beverage from the business location to purchase it.

Twenty alcohol retailers were visited, and 19 were compliant with Maryland law.

However, one retail business — Baymart and Deli in Ridge — failed to ask the informant for any identification, and the informant was able to purchase an alcoholic beverage illegally, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.

The alcohol violation report was forwarded to the St. Mary’s County Alcohol Beverage Board for review.

The following businesses asked for identification from the underage individual: 2000 Liquor in Lexington Park, ABC Liquors in California, Bradfords Neighborhood Market in Hollywood, California Wine & Spirits in California, Cook’s Liquors & Deli in Park Hall, Corner Liquors in Lexington Park, Early Bird in Hollywood, H.V. Liquors in California, Hermanville C-Store in Lexington Park, Jughead Liquor Wine Beer in California, Lex Wine & Spirits in Lexington Park, Marketplace Wine & Spirits in California, Ridge Market in Ridge, Rod’n Reel in Lexington Park, Sign Of The Whale Liquors in Lexington Park, St. Mary’s Fine Wine And Spirits in Great Mills, St. James Deli & Spirits in Lexington Park, Twist Wine & Spirits in Lexington Park and Wildewood Wine & Spirits in California.