TABC uncovers more than 1,000 alcohol violations

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission increased its number of undercover operations during the 2015 fiscal year, finding 1,137 violations.

The TABC increased undercover operations by more than 13% in its 2015 fiscal year

The minor stings took place between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015, during which 9,539 operations were put into action to identify retailers illegally selling alcohol to people aged under 21.

Furthermore, an extra 5,018 undercover opertions over the same period resulted in 455 other violations of the Alcoholic Beverage Code, including sales of alcohol to an intoxicated person, intoxicated permittees and violations of the legal hours of sale for alcohol.

Overall, undercover operations increased by more than 13% compared to the 2014 fiscal year, which saw 12,824 investigations take place.

“One of the major missions of the TABC is to keep Texas communities safe,” said Ed Swedberg, TABC deputy executive director. “In order to do that, we focus our efforts on licensees and permittees who illegally sell alcoholic beverages.

“We’ve found that these undercover operations are the most effective tool for detecting public safety violations and holding those licensees and permittees accountable.

“We will continue these operations as the best means of locating the small percentage of retailers who are violating the law.”

The TABC also investigated retailers suspected to be involved with cases of serious bodily injury or death caused by an intoxicated person, as well as companies where the peace was thought to have been breached.