Stores targeted for vape compliance

STAMFORD — City police say two shops allegedly sold vape products to underage customers earlier this month.

Clerks at Bull’s Head Cigar Shop and the Bedford Street Market were given $300 tickets for selling a nicotine delivery device without checking the buyer’s identification, police said. Customers must be 21 years old to purchase those products.

Capt. Richard Conklin said the Narcotics and Organized Crime squad sent a 17-year-old into both stores and in both cases the individual was sold a vape pen and nicotine cartridge without being asked for an identification card showing the minor’s age.

Conklin said the squad was reacting to parent and community complaints, including concerns raised by the Stamford Board of Education that teens are buying the products from local stores.

Bulls Head Cigar coowner Ramesh Brahmania admitted to making the mistake. He said that the youth approached him so confidently he figured that the person was a regular customer. Brahmania said the youth at the time was wearing a face mask.

“I made a mistake. We are very concerned about checking identification,” said Brahmania, who has been at the store since 1996, without getting such a ticket in the past.

Bedford Street Market owner Mohamed Elias said the employee that got the ticket for selling the vape to the youth has only been on the job in his store for two weeks.

“If anything was wrong, I am really sorry,” he said, adding that he has kids of his own.

For the first offense of selling vaping products to a person under 32 the store clerk is fined $300, then for a second offense $700 and a third time $1,000, According to state statutes.

Conklin said the squad did not check any other stores. He said officers will continue monitoring the two stores and will be doing more compliance checks at other stores in the future.