Four people were arrested in an operation conducted in two Southern California cities last week to stop adults from purchasing alcohol for minors, police said Tuesday.

Operation Shoulder Tap, which targets the adults, was conducted by police in Claremont and Upland on April 12.

The Claremont Police Department described how the operation works in a news release announcing the arrests on Tuesday.

“A minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement stands outside of a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy them alcohol,” the news release stated.

The minor is also instructed to tell the adult that they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol themselves, police said.

“If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, they can be arrested
and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor,” the news release stated.

The four suspects arrested in the operation were not identified but police said the penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said
ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “By preventing underage drinking we can
increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”

The news release cited the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in stating that roughly 25% of fatal crashes involve underage drinking.