Undercover TABC agents on the prowl in Texas’ spring break party spots

Underage spring breakers, consider yourselves warned: the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission isn’t just watching — its agents are working undercover.

Dozens of TABC agents will fan out across Lone Star State liquor stores, bars and on beaches over spring break to catch underage drinkers and bust businesses that sell to minors, agency officials revealed Wednesday.

“The spring festival season, including spring break and a number of other popular events across the state, is among the busiest times for alcohol retailers,” TABC Executive Director Thomas Graham said in a statement. “Each year, TABC makes it a point to empower our retailers to identify some of the most common violations and take steps to help people keep their businesses and communities safe.”

The TABC has been planning for spring break since mid-February, when agents gave retailers in the party hotspot of South Padre Island a chance to learn how to best avoid underage liquor sales, officials added.

“The ultimate goal is not to penalize retailers who are doing their best to conduct business during a busy time,” Graham said. “What we want to do first and foremost is to ensure they have the tools they need to operate successfully while keeping their customers safe.”

Businesses caught selling alcohol to those under 21 could face a civic fine or suspension of their liquor license. What’s more, employees who sell liquor to minors can also be charged with a class A misdemeanor punishable by a $4,000 fine and up to a year in jail.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed

Related Stories

San Antonio councilman’s staff raised questions about Southtown bar before raid, emails show

A staffer for Councilman Mario Bravo repeatedly asked a city department about McIntyre’s Southtown before police swept in.

San Antonio District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez submits a letter to shut down Privat night club

TABC is investigating Privat following a May 18 altercation in its parking lot that turned into a shooting.

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission launches opioid-related overdose training

The free course is meant to help bar owners, managers and staff recognize signs of an opioid overdose — and intervene to save lives.

TABC to offer free webinar on identifying, reporting signs of human trafficking

The Thursday session, which starts at 2 p.m., also will teach restaurant workers how to report suspicious activity.

It’s illegal to serve intoxicated customers, but San Antonio bar staff say they feel pressured to

Scrutiny is particularly high after the high-profile arrest of Councilman Clayton Perry and his subsequent driving-while-intoxicated charge.

This article appears in Mar 6-19, 2024.