Special to the Herald

The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office Drug Suppression Unit arrested a man for selling tobacco products to a minor.

Since mid-April, the ECSO Drug Suppression Unit has been receiving calls and messages from concerned parents in the community about kids, specifically high school aged, being sold tobacco products.

On May 17, an operation was conducted with investigators and an underaged participant visiting several stores in the area to purchase tobacco products. During this operation, the underaged participant was able to successfully purchase tobacco products from the 1780 Country Store on Highway 80.

Kirankumar J. Patel has been charged with the sale of cigarettes, tobacco-related objects, nicotine, or vapor products to a minor.  

Investigators say there will be more operations like this happening throughout the county and encourage parents to continue to reach out to the sheriff’s office if they suspect their kids are being sold tobacco products.