Bluffton restaurants fined after minors purchased alcohol

Six Bluffton restaurants received fines of less than $500 each for serving alcohol to minors.

Amigo’s Cafe, Walnuts Cafe, Mi Tierra Cantina, Outback Steakhouse, Ranchero Alegre Cuban Restaurant and Agave Sidebar were caught serving alcohol to minors during compliance checks Thursday conducted by the Bluffton Police Department and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, according to the police department.

During the checks, if youths are successful in purchasing alcohol, the employee of the restaurant who served the minor is ticketed a $470 criminal violation. A second administrative fine for the restaurant’s owner is set by the Department of Revenue, which can vary in amount based on whether the establishment has been fined in the past.

“When we assist SLED with compliance checks, we hope that all of our businesses are following the law and checking identification accordingly,” Bluffton Police Chief Joey Reynolds said. “Unfortunately, that didn’t happen this time around.”

Twenty other Bluffton businesses that sell alcohol passed the compliance checks, the release said.

This story was originally published June 20, 2016 at 9:27 AM with the headline "Bluffton restaurants fined after minors purchased alcohol."