Only Two Businesses Sell Cigarettes to Minors in Iowa City Police Tobacco Sting

Iowa City Police Release

Tobacco sales law compliance checks were conducted on March 21, 2013 at sixteen businesses in Iowa City that previously sold to underage persons in December, 2012. Working with plainclothes officers, underage persons entered these businesses and attempted to illegally purchase tobacco products. Fourteen businesses refused to sell to the underage buyers. Those businesses were:

• Alsafa Market - 731 S Riverside Dr.
• Zombies - 316 E Burlington St.
• The In Zone - 116 E Washington St.
• IC Uglys - 210 N Linn St.
• Kum & Go - 25 W Burlington St.
• Kum & Go - 513 S Riverside Dr.
• The Convenience Store - 106 S Linn St.
• Southside Liquor & Tobacco - 601 Hollywood Blvd Suite #1
• Deli Mart - 1920 Lower Muscatine Rd.
• Red Poppy - 341 E College St.
• Tobacco Bowl - 111 S Dubuque St.
• RJ'z Express - 2 Escort Ln.
• Deli Mart - 2410 Mormon Trek Blvd.
• Hartig Drug - 701 Mormon Trek Blvd.

There were two businesses that did sell tobacco products to the underage buyers. The businesses that failed the compliance checks were:

• Gasby's - 2303 Muscatine Ave.
• The Spirit Tobacco and More (Hookah Cove) - 357 E College St.

Employees who did illegally sell were charged with Selling (employee) Tobacco to Persons Under Age 18. This is a simple misdemeanor, punishable with a $195 fine for the first offense. Additionally, all violations will be forwarded to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division for civil penalties against the tobacco license holders.