Five Freeborn County businesses were found to have made illegal tobacco sales this week during tobacco compliance checks conducted by the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office.

During the checks, minors under 18 were sent into 12 businesses in the county on Wednesday to attempt to purchase smokeless tobacco or cigarettes.

Freeborn County Sheriff detective Scott Golbuff said he could not release the names of the businesses that failed the checks yet because the clerks at those businesses had not been officially charged yet. He expected that to happen Monday.

Retail clerks who are found selling tobacco to minors are issued misdemeanor citations for a first violation. That citation carries a maximum penalty of no more than 90 days in jail and a fine of no more than $1,000.

In addition to the clerks being charged, the businesses themselves can be assessed an administrative penalty.

Golbuff said there were two businesses involved that had two or more violations within the last several years.

The checks were part of a compliance check required by state law, which went into effect in 1997. The law states that sheriff’s and police departments in Minnesota are required to conduct tobacco compliance checks at least one time each year with businesses that sell tobacco.

Look to AlbertLeaTribune.com this week for more.