Four Marion stores sell tobacco to minor in police sweep

MARION - The Marion Police Department on Sunday conducted tobacco compliance checks with vendors that sell tobacco within the city limits.

Employees at four of the 21 businesses where checks were conducted sold tobacco products to the underage individual that assisted in the checks, police said in a news release. Those businesses are:

- Casey's General Store on South 11th Street.

- Hawkeye Convenience Store on South 11th Street.

- Hy-Vee Drugstore on Seventh Avenue.

- Kum & Go on Blairs Ferry Road.

Marion has 22 businesses that sell tobacco products, however one of those businesses was closed on Sunday, police said.

The Marion Police Department randomly conducts tobacco and alcohol checks for compliance purposes. It is a simple misdemeanor offense in Iowa for an employee to sell tobacco products or vapor products to anyone under the age of 18. For the businesses involved, civil penalties may be imposed, according to the release.