Davis also said the police department plans to send the information on the Saturday night undercover operation to state Alcohol Law Enforcement to “see if they can bring additional charges to store owners.”
Of the four stores checked in town, only one, The Metro Mart, also known as M&C Mart on McDaniel and Bell streets, reportedly sold. That only one sold, Davis said, “Tells me the others are following the procedure they're supposed to follow.”
In a statement, Davis said Abdo Mohamed Samyafai, 34, of Rocky Mount, was issued a uniform citation late Saturday night.
The case started after Davis received several complaints local convenience stores throughout town were selling alcohol and tobacco products to underage teens.
After a week of investigation, Detective Willie Murphy Jr. and Captain Dreher Bozard launched “Operation Red-handed,” the sting to catch store cashiers in the act.
Samyafai was charged with selling a malt beverage to a person who at the time was less than 21 years of age. He is scheduled for court on June 27.
