The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office recently completed tobacco compliance checks for the year 2011.

Minors under the age of 18 years old were sent into 11 businesses in Freeborn County to attempt to purchase cigarettes or chewing tobacco.

According to a Sheriff’s Office news release, there were two illegal sales made to the minors.

Businesses that failed were Conger Municipal Liquor of Conger and Vet’s Whoa N Go, the Super America station in northwest Albert Lea.

A 1997 state law mandates sheriff and police departments to conduct tobacco compliance checks at least once per year. Retail clerks who sell tobacco to minors are issued misdemeanor citations for the first violation, which carries a maximum penalty of not more then 90 days in jail and a fine of not more then $1000 dollars. In addition to the clerks being charged, the businesses themselves can be assessed an administrative penalty.