Bologna, June 6, 2026 – He was selling classic and electronic cigarettes to minors under eighteen. This is how a bar-tobacconist in via Matteotti got into trouble, caught in recent days by a consumer protection and health check by agents from the Navile department of the Local Police.
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The Reports and Checks
The intervention stemmed from some reports in recent days. To verify them, local police officers therefore organized a plainclothes stakeout in front of the business, with the aim of shedding light on the situation: the service allowed them to ascertain that the staff were selling cigarettes, nicotine products, and electronic cigarettes to minors under eighteen, without asking for identification as required by law.
The minors, evidently very young, came from the nearby Sabin high school. Once inside, the agents identified themselves, but the sale continued anyway: the shopkeeper justified himself by saying that he already knew the boys and had asked them for their documents in the past.
The agents, however, maintained the minority of the customers, with the retailer justifying himself by claiming the falsity of the boys’ documents. Naturally, this claim was dismissed, as the Local Police operators verified the authenticity of the documents.
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An Employee Without Sales Authorization
Furthermore, it emerged that one of the two employees, an active participant in the sale of cigarettes, had not obtained the resale authorization issued by the Monopolies Agency with a specific order. At this point, the relevant reports were contested for an amount of 4 thousand euros, with the risk of suspension of the sales license for three months.
At the same time, the parents of the minors were contacted to inform them of the incident, and they then thanked the agents for the control activity. Meanwhile, further investigations are underway regarding the regularity of sale of some light hemp products.
