On July 24, 2010, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) conducted operation “Big Brother”. The undercover operation targeted the illegal sale of alcohol to minors. Under the direct supervision of Investigators, minors approached and attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages from convenient stores, grocery stores, and bars throughout Putnam County. A total of thirty-four (34) establishments were checked resulting in six (6) arrests. Warnings and/or administrative complaints were filed against the following establishments by ABT investigators:
- Kangaroo Express, 3300 Crill Avenue, Palatka
- Winn Dixie, 901 South Highway 19, Palatka
- Fast Track, 932 State Road 20, Interlachen
- Kangaroo, 1986 State Road 20, Hawthorne
- Sunoco, 167 South Highway 17, East Palatka
- Cowcatcher Lounge, 1712 South Highway 17, Pomona Park
Sheriff Hardy recognizes that underage drinking remains a persistent problem with serious health and safety consequences in Putnam County. Operation “Big Brother” and similar undercover operations are necessary to determine which businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages in our community are complying with Florida’s beverage laws, and which businesses are illegally selling alcohol to our youth.
