An alcohol compliance check led to police citing several Chapel Hill businesses for infractions on Saturday night.

The police department confirmed to Chapelboro that out of 19 businesses tested, five sold alcohol to a minor who was participating with Chapel Hill Police. Top of the Hill restaurant and Trolly Stop Hot Dogs on Franklin Street were each cited for a violation, as well as Lucha Tigre off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Osteria Georgi off Elliott Road and the Wegmans store off Fordham Boulevard.

For Lucha Tigre, it was the second consecutive alcohol compliance check the restaurant failed, having been one of six businesses cited during a sting in late June. One other business which failed in June was checked on Saturday: Speedway convenience store off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, which passed.

The Chapel Hill Police Department shared an alert to the community on Friday about the operation, which spokesperson Alex Carrasquillo says is meant to remind business owners to have conversations with their staff about following correct alcohol procedures.

“As with all of our operations,” he said, “education is important to the Chapel Hill Police Department. We want businesses to do well, and we work closely with them to make sure they have practices in place to avoid selling alcohol to people who are underage.”

Carrasquillo said another element of the educational effort is “Be A Responsible Seller” training the department’s Alcohol Law Enforcement Liaison holds throughout each year. The class aims to educate bartenders and others who serve or sell alcoholic beverages.

The five businesses cited for violations will still be able to continue serving alcohol, but police will report the infractions to the statewide ABC Commission. Chapel Hill Police said the commission could fine businesses around $1,000 for first offenses, with repeat offenders facing fines closer to $2,500.

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