Dedicated to Improving the Standards & Practices of Liquor Law Enforcement |
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If you have Alcohol Law Enforcement news to share please send it to Carrie Christofes, Executive Director
carrie.christofes@nllea.org
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Time is Running Out!
Register NOW!
The 2021 Annual Conference, will be held November 15-17 in Montgomery, Alabama at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center,
in collaboration with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation. Conference registration and hotel accommodations are still available!
(NLLEA conference rate may no longer be available)
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Spotlight: North Carolina alcohol agents arrest nearly 300 in Halloween crackdown
North Carolina’s Alcohol Law Enforcement says it arrested nearly 300 people during operations at alcoholic beverage-licensed businesses and other locations as part of a Halloween crackdown. A news release from the Department of Public Safety said that state alcohol agents working with local law enforcement officials arrested 286 people on 700 charges around the state. The agents executed 13 search warrants, seized guns and drugs and made arrests on a mixture of felony, alcoholic beverage and drug charges.
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NC-ALE Investigation Yields Guns, Drug Seizures in Caswell County
ALE Investigation Yields Guns, Drug Seizures in Caswell County
Yesterday, state and local officials concluded an investigation into an illegal casino resulting in the seizure of guns, drugs and U.S. Currency. North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement was requested by the Caswell County Sheriff to investigate a location after receiving complaints of illegal gambling, patrons distributing drugs, and sales of alcoholic beverages without an ABC permit. As a result, ALE, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Caswell County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of the illegal business and associated residence, 573 and 577 East Main Street in Yanceyville. Gaming machines, alcoholic beverages and illegal controlled substances were located inside the business. In the residence, authorities found three unaccompanied children, along with four firearms, 181 grams of marijuana, 251 grams of methamphetamine, oxycodone, drug paraphernalia and U.S. Currency.
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NC-ABC Permits Suspended Following ALE Investigation
Following a months-long ALE investigation, a Lenoir business’ ABC permits have been suspended for numerous drug and gambling violations. ALE and the Lenoir Police Department initiated an investigation into Gamewell Superette, an ABC-licensed convenience store in Lenoir, after receiving complaints of illegal drug activity and gambling occurring on the licensed premises. Through the course of the investigation, ALE special agents found employees were involved in the illegal sale of methamphetamine and heroin, and the business was operating illegal slot machines. As a result, on Friday, Oct. 29th, state and local authorities executed a search warrant at the business. In 2019, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law directing the ABC Commission to summarily suspend ABC permits issued to any business after an ALE investigation revealed certain crimes had been committed. Due to the negative impact the business had on the surrounding community, ALE special agents requested assistance from the ABC Commission to immediately suspend Gamewell Superette’s ABC permits. “Our special agents focus on problem ABC-licensed and illegal establishments that serve as havens for violence, drugs and other criminal activity.” said Bryan House, Director of ALE. “We are hopeful the criminal charges brought against individuals in this case as well as the suspension of ABC permits at this business will make this community safer.”
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Be sure to checking out the simulator at the 2021 NLLEA Conference: Division of Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement expanding Delaware's first impaired driving simulator program
Delaware launched its first Impaired Driving Simulator Program earlier this year.
And now, the program is looking to expand. The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement used a $140,000-dollar grant from Highmark Delaware to purchase the simulator, which debuted earlier this year in January. And spokesman Jason Atallian says it’s another tool to drive down the almost 4,000 DUI arrests made in the state last year, “The simulator allows us to reach out to the community and be involved with driver’s education (classes) and be involved with other law enforcement agencies in the State by providing this simulator. It can simulate up to 70 different vehicles. It can change your impairment level and it is as close to real as you can get.” Now, the division is teaming up with the Office of Highway Safety to take it to schools and community events statewide to highlight the dangers of impaired driving. “The goal is to have all the driver’s education programs up and down the State - to have them put through it," said Atallian. "We’ll take it to law enforcement agencies and other public safety departments and have their in-service training done with it. It’s a huge undertaking but it’s something we’ve been looking forward to.”
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Seed to Sale: The Buzz on Understanding the FDA Regulatory Landscape for Cannabis
The FDA’s mission is to protect public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of multiple product categories including drugs, medical devices, foods, and cosmetics. The agency’s regulatory authority also encompasses products in these categories that are made from cannabis or cannabis-related compounds. “Prior to COVID, many people thought of the FDA as a single entity,” Hatcher said. In fact, it is composed of six separate centers—the two that primarily regulate cannabis products are the Center for Food Safety & Nutrition (CFSAN) and the Center for Drug Evaluation & Research (CDER).
Other federal agencies also regulate cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). State-level regulatory agencies, such as state Departments of Agriculture, also regulate the cannabis industry. In addition, the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) and Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) work with the FDA to regulate animal foods, including those containing cannabis-derived products.
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CA Dept of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents patrolling during Halloween weekend
This Halloween weekend, California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents are making sure alcohol is not being sold to people under 21. "Licensees need to be real careful in checking identifications to ensure that alcohol is not being sold to minors," John Carr, Public Information Officer for the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, said. They'll also be checking for over drinking. "We also want to call on licensees to help keep an eye on patrons just to make sure no one is consuming too much and putting themselves at risk or the public at risk if they leave and might be in an intoxicated state," Carr, said. Agents will be going to bars, restaurants and stores where alcohol is sold. "Our officers, our agents, are sworn police officers, they do work in plain clothes, so a lot of people refer to that as undercover, where they can observe without noticed to ensure that there is compliance with alcoholic beverage laws," Carr, said
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Select Utah State Liquor Store Locations to Begin Accepting Mobile Driver’s Licenses to Confirm Legal Age for Alcohol Purchases
Citizens are invited to get set up with their own mDL at the Saratoga Springs store on Wednesday, November 3rd from from 4-7pm MT and the Farmington store on Thursday, November 4th from 4-7pm MT. A valid Utah driver’s license is required for mDL registration.
Utah is the first state in the U.S. to pilot an mDL that is fully compliant with international standards that ensure citizens can use their mDL globally as a legal form of identification. The Utah DLD is using GET Mobile Administrator to offer mDLs to citizens, who have the option to opt-into the program. The citizen then has complete control of the data they choose to share – limiting it to what is necessary to complete the transaction rather than sharing full personal information. DABC employees at participating stores will use GET Mobile Verify to contactlessly authenticate that a customer is over the age of 21 without ever touching the customer’s phone or an ID card. Cryptographic proof of ID allows employees to unequivocally confirm the information has not been tampered with. This will eliminate the opportunity for fraud associated with visually inspecting an ID, which is subjective and leaves room for error or oversight of the security features.
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California Wins Court Battle Over Illegal Gambling in the State
A company accused of peddling “unlawful, unfair or fraudulent” gaming solutions in California has admitted it violated state laws and is willing to make amends. Pong Game Studios Corp. will pay the state $3.5 million and close down its operations in the state in order to settle a lawsuit that could have led to greater damages.
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Job Opportunities:
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) is accepting applications for permanent LCB Enforcement Officer 2's (LEO2). The Enforcement and Education Division is headquartered in Olympia and has four regional offices in Tacoma, Federal Way, Mount Vernon, and Spokane. These positions begin as entry level LCB Enforcement Officer 1 and must successfully complete the 720 hour Basic Law Enforcement training and the Field Training Officer program. Upon completion of the programs, LEO1's will be promoted to the LCB Enforcement Officer 2 (LEO2) level. The Enforcement Division works with approximately 13,000 liquor and cannabis licensees and their employees by providing education and counseling on liquor & cannabis licensing laws and regulations. LCB Enforcement Officers inspect premises, investigate complaints, and conduct compliance checks. At times they may take administrative and criminal action against licensees, employees, and the public who violate state liquor, tobacco and cannabis laws. The WSLCB Enforcement and Education division is committed to integrity, honesty, dedication, a commitment to serve, and public trust. Officers are responsible for enforcing state liquor, cannabis, tobacco and vapor product laws and regulation to promote public safety, while providing education to licensees, communities, and local law enforcement agencies. WSLCB Law Enforcement Officers carry out their duties with the highest standards of personal and professional ethics. To learn more about the Enforcement and Education division, click here or follow us on our WSLCB YouTube Channel.
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2020-21 NLLEA Board Members:
John Yeomans, President - DE - john.yeomans@delaware.gov
Todd Merlina, Vice President - PA - tmerlina@pa.gov
Thomas Kirby, Secretary/Treasurer - VA - thomas.kirby@virginiaabc.com
Israel Morrow, Sergeant at Arms - NC - israel.morrow@ncdps.gov
Greg Croft, Immediate Past President - OH - gacroft@dps.ohio.gov
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