Three Auckland liquor shops suspended after illegal sales

Three Waitakare Licensing Trust venues have been forced to close for 48 hours after selling alcohol to a minor.
Three Waitakare Licensing Trust venues have been forced to close for 48 hours after selling alcohol to a minor. Photo credit: Getty

Three liquor shops have had their licences suspended for 48 hours after selling alcohol to an underage person.

The incidents happened in a crackdown in August last year.

Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA) found the Te Atatu Tavern, The Good Home in Henderson and West Liquor All Seasons breached the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 by selling alcohol to a 17-year-old.

All three, which are owned by the Waitakere Licensing Trust, will have to close from 9am on 4 July 2020 to 9am on 6 July 2020. 

Auckland Council Alcohol Licensing Manager, Peter Knight, says the breaches happened during a joint Controlled Purchase Operation (CPO) between council's Alcohol Licensing Unit, police and the Alcohol Prevention Unit.

"It's disappointing to see three breaches happening on the same day and the businesses neglecting their obligations under the Act," Peter says.

Peter says the breaches all came from a miscalculation of the minor's age.

"Unfortunately, miscalculations are a common theme."

"Asking for ID and then calculating the correct age from that identification are basic requirements for anyone selling alcohol."

Follow up checks at the three venues will happen in the future, Peter says.

ARLA also gave out 28-day suspensions to each of the three duty managers.