Tobacco Main Focus of 'Alcohol Violations' at Dos Jefes

Yesterday, Eater reported on alcohol violation charges filed by the ATC against Dos Jefes and other Uptown bars. Sounds pretty severe, right? Well, the Uptown Messenger reports that it's really a tobacco violation, but the restricting sale of tobacco is a condition of the alcohol license. The tobacco sting, which is part of a three-year tobacco-compliance program funded by a grant from the FDA, also nabbed Cooter Brown's and Snake and Jake's, set for hearings in September.

As for Dos Jefes, alcohol board members decided they need to add a doorman to check IDs. It also seems the Alcohol Board members are a bit curious as to the impetus behind the sting and their jurisdiction over such violations, spending more time questioning the City Attorney than Dos Jefes' sale of cigs to a minor.

Dos Jefe's Shawn Stallard likened the city-wide sting?involving a 15-year-old walking in the bar, asking if there's a cigarette machine and buying some?to entrapment, saying, "We haven't had any minors in here until he [the ATC agent] brought one.”

·Tobacco Stings Target Bars [Uptown Messenger]
·All ATC Sting Coverage [EaterNOLA]