'Vaping Sting' Operation Nails 4 Newtown Businesses: Police

NEWTOWN, CT — Four Newtown businesses were issued fines last month after they sold tobacco or vaping products to undercover underage buyers during a sting operation, according to Newtown police.

The department used four members of the Danbury Police Cadet program, all of whom were under the age of 21, to make the buys in early June, said Newtown Police Capt. Christopher Vanghele.

"The underage youth were then sent into stores in Newtown that sell tobacco and Electronic/Vaping products," Vanghele said in a statement. "It is illegal to sell tobacco or E-cigarette products in CT to anyone under the age of 21, and it carries a $300 fine."

The four businesses that police said illegally sold such products to the decoys were:

• 2 separate Wheels convenience store locations on Church Hill Road
• Mobil on Church Hill Road
• Brand Cigars on South Main Street

One of the Wheels sites illegally sold cigarettes to the undercover buyer, while the other three stores illegally sold vaping products, according to police.

The clerks who sold the products were all issued tickets, police said, and the four establishments also were referred to the state Department of Revenue Services for further investigation.

While those four businesses were cited by police, the department also said that eight others did not sell tobacco or vaping products to the underage buyers. Those businesses were:

• Newtown Convenience
• Sunoco Hawleyville
• Taunton Wine & Liquor
• Dodingtown Liquor
• Newtown Wine & Spirits
• Wheels on South Main Street
• Fairgrounds Wine & Spirits
• Stop and Shop

"The Newtown Police Department could not do this operation without the help of the Danbury Police Department, and we would also like to thank the Newtown Parent Connection for funding this operation," Vanghele said. "This is truly a collaborative effort done with safety of our children in mind."