Sulphur, Louisiana - The Sulphur Police Department has cited clerks at five local businesses after an undercover operation found they sold alcohol, tobacco, or both to a person under 21, according to a department news release.
Over the past several weeks, the department reported receiving “numerous complaints” that businesses in Sulphur were selling alcohol and tobacco products to people younger than 21, which is illegal under both Louisiana and federal law. In response, detectives organized a targeted compliance check.
On Jan. 29, 2026, Sulphur detectives conducted an undercover operation at 10 locations within the city to determine whether store employees would sell age-restricted products to someone under the legal age. The department stated that, at half of the locations visited, sales were made to a person under 21.
The locations where violations occurred, as identified by Sulphur Police, were:
- Bayou Food Store on Ruth Street
- Dollar General on North Huntington Street
- Timeloop on East Napoleon Street
- Dollar General on Beglis Parkway
- Shell on Maplewood Drive
Police said store clerks at these locations were cited for the underage sales. The department did not release further details on the specific charges, fines, or any possible additional penalties, and no names of individual clerks were provided in the release.
The operation focused on alcohol and tobacco products, which include items such as beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, cigars, and vaping products. Federal law sets 21 as the minimum age to purchase tobacco products nationwide, and Louisiana law sets 21 as the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages. Retail employees are generally required to verify a customer’s age, usually by checking a government-issued ID.
The Sulphur Police Department’s release did not say when or whether additional checks would be conducted, but the scope of the operation – 10 locations visited in a single day – suggests an emphasis on compliance and enforcement following the recent complaints.
The department did not provide information on whether the businesses themselves, in addition to individual clerks, might face administrative or licensing consequences through other agencies.
The Sulphur Police Department’s press release did not include any public safety statistics, broader context, or comment from department leadership beyond the basic description of the operation and list of cited locations.
All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.