The Glynn-Brunswick Narcotics Enforcement Team working with agents from the Georgia Department of Revenue have been working together to help ensure that underage people do not have a source of illegally obtained alcohol by conducting a joint investigation checking retail alcohol sales establishments in Glynn County.
Investigators using an underage person to attempted to buy alcohol from retail sales stores and package stores both on the mainland and Saint Simons Island over a period of a week to ensure that clerks are doing their part to make sure as graduation nears that high school students and others that are not at least 21 years of age cannot obtain the alcohol just by walking in and making the purchase.

According to Brunswick Police Chief Kevin Jones this operation was partly undertaken in response to complaints he received about stores selling to underage minors. “High School graduations are right around the corner. The schools and several volunteers have told the students of the dangers of alcohol consumption. We wanted to take it a step further and make sure that any business that sells alcohol know that we are watching and expect their cooperation,” said Jones.

During the investigation over 75 retail businesses were checked for compliance. A total of seven stores were found to be in violation and six individuals were arrested on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. One of the wanted subjects is still at large. Of the seven stores in violation three are within the city limits of Brunswick and the remaining four are in the county. The clerks that sold to the underage person each arrested and have been charged with Sale of Alcohol to a person under the age of 21. In addition to these arrests, agents of the Georgia Department of Revenue cited each of the stores for the violation.

Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering stated, “This operation has been conducted to help ensure that stores in Glynn County recognize how serious we take their sales of alcohol to minors. We want store clerks to think twice before they sale alcohol to someone that is obviously under 21. The high school students have been educated about the dangers of alcohol. Law Enforcement is not doing its job if we do not do our part to make sure we have done everything we can to eliminate the availability of the alcohol to the minors.”

Those arrested during the operation are:

  • Chelsea Cunningham 24 yoa
  • Dexadeden Patel 50 yoa
  • Sami Khadra, 55 yoa
  • Nimisha Patel, 42 yoa
  • Hernisha Patel, 35 yoa
  • Samir C. Bheraiya 27 yoa

All of those arrested are Brunswick residents and were booked in the Glynn County Detention Center.
Both Doering and Jones confirmed that these type operations will continue to go on at random times to help ensure that store owners and clerks know that they must adhere to state law and local ordinances. The purpose of these checks is not to punish the law abiding citizens but to make sure our youth safe in our community.

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