State Arrested Dozens For Underage Drinking At Jones Beach

New York State Police arrested dozens of underage drinkers and confiscated their fake IDs at concerts at Jones Beach this summer, the state reported on Wednesday.

Enforcement was stepped up across the state for the months of August, September and October. On Long Island, Jones Beach concerts were targeted, as they are usually a hotbed of underage drinking.

"Underage drinking can lead to bad decisions and dangerous situations that can have lifelong consequences or needless tragedy," Cuomo said. "Through on-going enforcement efforts, we will continue to crack down on this dangerous behavior and target businesses that break the law by selling to minors and underage adults."

Investigators from the DMV made arrests across the state for the use of fake IDs. On Long Island, 14 were arrested at a Braid Paisley concert on Aug. 10, and another 22 were arrested at the Billboard Hot 100 concert on Aug. 18 and 19.

"If you acquire a fake identification, it doesn't matter what state it appears to be from. Our investigators will quickly be able to spot the fraud, and you will be arrested," said Terri Egan, executive deputy commissioner of the DMV. "We want our young people who are not yet 21 to celebrate responsibly. They shouldn't try to buy alcohol. And if they try to use a fake ID or someone else's ID to purchase alcohol they need to be aware that it's a crime we take seriously."

All told, the State Liquor Authority cited 141 establishments across the state for selling alcohol to minors over the three-month period, and the DMV arrested 271 others for trying to use a fake ID to purchase alcohol.

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