Summary of ABCC Actions
Eight recently published ABCC decisions decided cases dealing with gambling devices on licensed premises, sales of alcohol to a minor and intoxicated persons, and purchase of alcohol by a restaurant from a non-wholesaler.
The non-permitted gambling devices cases involved the Billerica Elks Lodge, American Legion Post in Kingston, and the Malden Elks and Moose Lodges. In the former three cases, the ABCC suspended the clubs licenses for five days, two days to be served and three to be held in abeyance for two years provided no further violations occurred. The ABCC also stipulated that each licensee not possess in or on the licensed premises any automatic amusement device or video poker machine. The Billerica Elks Lodge received only a three day suspension, with all three days to be held in abeyance for 2 years pending any further violation. However, the Lodge had also not filed required annual reports with the ABCC with the names and addresses of corporate officers and the compensation paid to employees, so the ABCC added a separate 3 day suspension for this, with those 3 days also to be held in abeyance for 2 years (the suspensions to run concurrently). Also, the ABCC directed the Lodge to file annual reports for the years 2003 to 2014 within one week of receiving their decision, or face “indefinite suspension” of their license.
GPS Wine & Spirits in Brookline was found to have made a sale to a minor, and was given an eight day suspension, with one day to be served and seven to be held in abeyance for two years. Interestingly, the business had an Advanced ID Detection Scan machine, but when the ABCC investigator passed the fraudulent ID used by the minor in question through the scanner, it was not approved.
The ABCC ordered a four day suspension (2 to be served and 2 to be held in abeyance for 2 years) for the Sinnis Pub in Dudley, after they were found to have provided several “shots” of alcohol to an intoxicated patron. An ABCC investigator on hand saw the patron, determined he was intoxicated, and then viewed sales of several shots to the patron thereafter within a relatively brief period. When asked for identification by the investigator, the intoxicated patron responded with a succinct “verbal salute” (set out in quotes in the ABCC decision) which evidenced truculence if not intoxication!
The Singapore Restaurant in Fitchburg also was found to have made a sale to an intoxicated person, as was given a six day suspension, two to be served and four to be held in abeyance for two years
Finally, the Kathmandu Spice Restaurant in Arlington was found to have repeatedly purchased alcohol from a package store rather than a wholesaler, and was given a thirty day suspension and ordered to destroy the alcoholic beverages in question. The restaurant was also given a warning for failure to post required notices of penalties.