4 restaurants caught in underage drinking sting

An investigation into underage alcohol sales has resulted in citations being issued against four Forsyth County restaurants, Sheriff Ted Paxton announced Wednesday.

On March 21, a person under 21 was sent into 10 local restaurants and ordered an alcoholic drink. If the underage person was served without being asked for proper age verification, a deputy in plain clothes who witnessed the violation would issue the citation.

Cited in the investigation were: Applebee’s restaurants at Lakeland Plaza and at 4210 John’s Creek Parkway; The Firkin & Crown, 440 Peachtree Parkway; and

Golden Palace, 2300 Bethelview Rd., according to the sheriff’s office.

Each licensee of the businesses cited now face an administrative hearing before the county Commission.

In addition, the employees who were cited in each business will have to appear in Magistrate’s Court to answer those charges.

“Underage alcohol sales is a very serious matter to us,” Paxton said. “We are going to continue our enforcement efforts to make sure that every business selling alcoholic beverages in Forsyth County is in compliance.”