8 RWC Retailers Stung For Selling Smokes to Kids

Deputies from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office and police officers from the cities of Redwood City and Menlo Park took part in a Tobacco Decoy Program on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. 

According to a report released Monday by the Sheriff's Office, of all the merchants they visited, 99 percent did ask the decoys to show identification.  Deputies say the vertical format of the CA identification card and the technology of current cash registers made recognizing a minor easier and prevented the majority of the sales.  

In all, 137 merchants were checked and 20 citations were issued in the two cities for PC 308(a)(1) - Sale of a tobacco product to a minor.

The following is a list of merchants who were issued citations:

Unincorporated Redwood City

1 out of 17 merchants sold tobacco to the decoy

Golden Glaze Bakery and Market, 2780 San Mateo Avenue

Redwood City

7 out of 77 merchants sold tobacco to the decoy

Martco Gas Station, 602 El Camino Real

Sky Zone Smoke Shop, 2664 Broadway Street

Taqueria Apatzingan #2, 739 Chestnut Street

CVS / Pharmacy, 1301 Broadway Street

Flyers Gas Station, 699 El Camino Real 

Shell Gas Station, 582 Woodside Road

Ayar Produce & Meat Market, 2727 El Camino Real

Menlo Park

9 out of 34 merchants sold tobacco to the decoy

Beltramo’s Wines & Spirits, 1540 El Camino Real

Chevron Gas Station, 1200 El Camino Real

Menlo Park Gas & Diesel, 275 El Camino Real

Mi Tierra Linda Market, 1209 Willow Road

La Michoacano Market, 1305 Willow Road

Valero Gas Station, 500 Willow Road

El Rancho Supermarket, 812 Willow Road

Walgreens, 643 Santa Cruz Avenue

CVS / Pharmacy, 700 El Camino Real Suite 180

Unincorporated Menlo Park

3 out of 9 merchants sold tobacco to the decoy

Chevron Gas Station, 3600 Alameda de las Pulgas

Valero Gas Station, 743 Marsh Road

Shell Gas Station, 3201 El Camino Real