Two Yuma County Stores Cited for Selling Tobacco to Minors

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Two stores in Yuma County were cited after state investigators found they were selling tobacco products to minors.

The inspections were part of the Arizona Attorney General’s Operation Counter Strike program, which checks stores to make sure they are not selling tobacco to people under 18.

Last year, the program inspected more than 1,000 stores across Arizona. Nearly 500 citations were issued to clerks and businesses that sold tobacco to minors.

In Yuma County, two stores were cited: Chevron Food Mart near the Big Curve in Yuma and Super Gas Mini-Mart on Main Street in Somerton.

Some local residents say they are disappointed to see this happening in their community.

“It’s sad to see that in our hometown, it’s gotten to the point where just to make a quick buck, businesses are selling to minors, but almost as a way of like targeting them as well,” said Richard Nunez, a local father.

Nunez said he hopes businesses take more responsibility when it comes to protecting kids and says protecting kids from tobacco sales should be a bigger priority.

“The future of the U.S. or our state of Arizona is in our kids, you know, and if we’re not protecting them, then we’re not protecting the future. So I do think statewide, they should crack down a little bit harder,” he said.

Operation Counter Strike has been running since 2002. During the checks, youth volunteers work with investigators to try to buy tobacco from stores.

If a clerk sells to an underage volunteer, both the employee and the business can receive a criminal citation.