Babylon tobacco, alcohol retailers get police thumbs-up after underage sting

Seven Babylon businesses got a thumbs-up from Suffolk police after a sting operation aimed at sales of tobacco and alcohol to minors.

The seven in Babylon Town were found in compliance Thursday when police sent an underage volunteer to try to buy the products in a sting run by the First Precinct crime section.

Each time the underage volunteer tried to buy either alcohol or a tobacco product at each location, a worker asked for the volunteer's identification and refused to sell to the minor, police said.

"It's a great thing and we're happy the stores are complying with the law," said Sgt. Wayne Hutzel of the First Precinct's crime section.

By New York state law, alcohol can be sold legally to persons 21 and older; tobacco can be sold to persons 18 and older.

Hutzel said the precinct runs such stings about eight to 10 times each year. In the last sting, he said local businesses were found compliant in all 15 visits by an underage volunteer.

On Thursday, the businesses found in compliance were:

Getty Gas, Route 109 at Fifth Avenue, West Babylon

7-Eleven, Straight Path at 13th Street, West Babylon

Luk Oil Gas Mart, 328 Route 109, West Babylon

STP Tobacco Shop, 550 Straight Path, West Babylon

BP Gas Mart, 1235 Deer Park Ave., North Babylon

Deer Park Express Mart, 1921 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park

Sardar Deli, 1737 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park