North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agents and Pitt County Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) officers launched a special operation in April, targeting underage drinking and minors in possession of alcohol in Greenville. According to the Governor’s Office, the operation led to 202 citations and arrests on 246 charges.
The most heavily cited violation in the special operation was underage consumption of alcohol. Other charges included giving alcohol to underage persons, use of a fictitious identification to purchase alcohol and possession of alcohol by a 19/20 year old. Several business establishments in Greenville were also cited for selling alcohol illegally and other alcohol violations.
Some individuals were also arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI/DWI) and driving with an open container of alcohol. A first offense DUI/DWI can lead to jail time, fines and the loss of a license, depending on the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level of the driver.
This sort of large sweeping campaign targeting underage drinking is not all that uncommon. ALE and ABC often target college areas or other areas known to often provide a house for underage drinking to occur. Patrols may also participate in the underage drinking crackdown to target drunk drivers.
It’s important to note that while this ALE and ABC special operation resulted in hundreds of citations and arrests, these agents and officers must be vigilant not to violate important rights of the accused. Officers must have probable cause and must not otherwise violate the accused person’s 4th Amendment search and seizure rights.
After a citation or an alcohol violation charge, it is important to hire a knowledgeable North Carolina DWI/DUI attorney to fight against the charge and any possible harm that may stem from a criminal conviction.
Source: WITN “200+ People Facing Charges After Greenville ALE Operation,” 4/21/2011