Community
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
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Media Release: Tobacco Decoy Operation
| Nature of Incident: | Tobacco Decoy Operation | ||||
| Location: | Various Retail Locations ~ City of Camarillo |
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| Date: | February 9th, 2026 | ||||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Camarillo Community Resources Unit, Camarillo City Code Enforcement |
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| Suspects: |
City of Residence |
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| 76 Gas (100 S Las Posas Rd) Shell Gas (107 W Ventura Blvd) CVS Pharmacy (351 Carmen Dr) |
Camarillo Camarillo Camarillo |
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| Narrative: | |||||
| On February 9th, 2026, between the hours of 1600-2200 hours, members of the Camarillo Police Community Resources Unit and Camarillo City Code Enforcement conducted an underage tobacco decoy sting. The goal of the operation is to limit underage access to tobacco products and to confirm businesses are operating within the law. The operations resulted in three misdemeanor citations, including two clerks that furnished tobacco products to the underage decoy and one clerk that sold alcohol to the decoy. Out of the 26 businesses checked during the operation, two businesses sold tobacco products to an underage decoy: Shell Gas located at 107 W Ventura Blvd and 76 Gas located at 100 S Las Posas Road. A clerk at CVS Pharmacy, located at 351 Carmen Drive, sold alcohol to the underage decoy and did not ask for identification. Clerks of a corporation/business/retailer who sell, give or furnish tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21 years old have committed a misdemeanor crime and can face a fine of $500 for a first offense, then $1,000 for a second offense, and $5,000 for a third offense. In addition, violators and multiple businesses were educated on the current laws regarding tobacco sales by Camarillo City Code Enforcement. The California Department of Public Health may take administrative action against the license of the business where tobacco products were sold to the underage decoy. That may include a fine, suspension, or the permanent revocation of the license. Penal Code 308(a)(1)(A)(i) makes it a misdemeanor for a subject to furnish tobacco and tobacco products to a minor who is under the age of 21. Furthermore, Business and Profession Code (BP) 25658(a) makes it a misdemeanor for a subject to furnish alcohol to a minor who is under the age of 21. The Camarillo Police Department will continue to work with Camarillo City Code Enforcement and Ventura County Public Health to educate and enforce against any underage tobacco and alcohol sales. The tobacco decoy operation was paid for by a Tobacco Grant from the California Department of Justice. The Camarillo Police Department will also continue to work with ABC to educate and enforce against underage alcohol sales. The Camarillo Police Department would like to remind parents to talk to their children about the dangers of using drugs (like tobacco) and alcohol. Parents play an important role in limiting access to unsafe items in the home and educating their children about drug and alcohol safety. Anyone who knows of adults furnishing tobacco products to minors or establishments who sell tobacco products to minors please call the Sheriff’s Office at (805) 654-9511 or email Senior Deputy Matthew Koenig with CRU ([email protected]). People who call can remain anonymous. |
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| Prepared by: | Senior Deputy Matthew Koenig | ||||
| News Release Date: | February 10, 2026 | ||||
| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Senior Deputy Matthew Koenig (805) 279-0490 |
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| Approved by: |
Captain Jason Hendren |
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Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
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Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511