EUSTIS, Fla.—Three people were nabbed by Eustis Police Department this week after selling tobacco products to an underage person, according to Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri.
The operation aimed to identify and target stores believed to be selling tobacco products to underage individuals after seeing a “concerning rise in the use of underage tobacco consumption in Eustis schools,” EPD said in a press release.
The undercover individual attempted to buy tobacco at 11 different stores and was successful in making a purchase at three of them, Capri said. The three individuals who sold the tobacco products were given misdemeanor citations to appear in court and worked at the following stores:
- Pic N Go, 2137 East Orange Avenue, Eustis; Vanita Patel was charged with sale of tobacco to a person under 21.
- Shell, 1905 North State Road 19, Eustis; Diane Scheidel was charged with sale of tobacco to a person under 21.
- Sunoco, 1911 South Bay Street, Eustis; Ratan Majumder was charged with sale of tobacco to a person under 21.
The eight stores that did not sell to the underage individuals:
- 7-Eleven, 2002 North Highway 19, Eustis
- Circle K, 2754 East Orange Avenue, Eustis
- Citgo 2107 South Bay Street, Eustis
- ExxonMobil 1201 County Road 452, Eustis
- Kars Mart 1212 South Bay Street, Eustis
- Lee’s Market 1333 East Orange Avenue, Eustis
- Smoke Plus 2105 East Orange Avenue, Eustis
- Shell Gas Station 1701 South Bay Street, Eustis
“This operation sends a clear message that illegal sales of tobacco to minors and underage individuals will not be tolerated, and those who choose to disregard the law will face criminal charges and prosecution,” Capri said.
