Minors buying alcohol via net

Ian Paulin.
Ian Paulin.
Police have hit out at social media users peddling alcohol to minors in Dunedin, warning them they are in line for a $2000 fine.

Police have uncovered underage teens sourcing alcohol through sober-driving pages on social media.

Alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Ian Paulin has warned parents to keep tabs on their children’s social media use after children aged in their mid-teens were found heavily intoxicated in the central city earlier this year, and admitted getting the booze from strangers on social media.

The children had communicated with the buyers via sober-driver pages on Facebook, he said.

"The code is apparently ‘I’m driving tonight’," Sgt Paulin said.

"No questions asked, they take them to a bottle store, flick them the cash and they will go in and buy it.

"I don’t think the parents are aware this is going on."

No-one had been charged in relation to the offending, but those caught buying alcohol for minors could be liable for a fine of $2000.Parents needed to exercise "cyber awareness" and monitor their children’s communications on the internet.

"If they see a Facebook sober driver on their kid’s messages while checking their phones, that should be ringing alarm bells quite loudly," Sgt Paulin said.

"Just be aware that this is a mechanism that they are using to get alcohol.

"They are getting in the car [with strangers]. That’s a big risk — a huge risk," Sgt Paulin said.

Police had concerns minors could come to harm or die as a result of consuming alcohol sourced from strangers.

Children’s bodies did not process alcohol like adults’ and if a teen was to pass out and die as a result of alcohol obtained through social media, the buyer would be liable.

"They don’t know where this alcohol is going with these young ones," Sgt Paulin said.

"Worst-case scenario is you [become involved with] a homicide. And being at the back end of a homicide is not good."

Parents also needed to make themselves available to transport their children if they were going to parties and be aware of their movements.

"They have no idea who they are getting in a car with; they are leaving themselves vulnerable," he said.

"If they need a ride home they don’t get a Facebook sober driver, they get a ride from their parents.

"There should be that discussion ‘I know you are going out to a party, I’m available at any time to pick you up’.

"That’s a discussion a responsible parent should have."

In 2015, Chinese national Jun Lie Li (19) was convicted of indecent assault and received a three-strikes warning after attacking a 21-year-old student whom he offered ride home.

Li took advantage of his heavily intoxicated passenger after she fell asleep in the back of his car while he was driving her home on May 9.

He had regularly touted rides on the "Dunedin sober drivers" Facebook page.

timothy.brown@odt.co.nz

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