BOSTON, June 9 (UPI) -- Liquor dealers from five states were captured in a Massachusetts sting operation in which minors ordered booze over the Internet.
The office of Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly has sued seven online liquor dealers for violation of the state's Liquor Control Act. Four businesses were cited for not having a license to sell alcohol in Massachusetts. The companies, based in California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York, are to appear in court Monday.
Three other online suppliers, based in California, Massachusetts and New York, were licensed to sell alcohol in the commonwealth but could be fined and have their licenses suspended by the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for selling to minors.
The Boston Globe reported Wednesday a sting operation, conducted in 2002 and 2004, involved having minors enter a credit card number on the liquor supplier's Web site and ordering wine, hard liquor and beer.
The liquor is usually shipped via a large delivery company. The delivery companies involved could be investigated for liquor law violations for not checking identification when delivering liquor.
