The Tamaqua Police Department is cracking down on the sale of nicotine and tobacco products to minors through a recently formed Vape Task Force.

Police Chief Michael Hobbs told Tamaqua Borough Council at Tuesday’s meeting that the force, consisting of Officers Chris Cordes and A.J. Seip, have already cited several businesses.

Hobbs said the officers gathered information on stores suspected of selling illegally to minors, and developed plans to conduct tobacco and nicotine compliance checks. To do so, the officers worked with the Pennsylvania State Police, Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration and Health Promotion Council, he explained.

Tobacco and nicotine compliance checks were then carried out on borough businesses in January, and six were not in compliance.

Those stores - Penn Jersey Market and Vegas Convenient, both on East Broad Street; Pereia 4 Gas and Citgo/Speedway, both on Center Street, and DD Enterprise and Tamaqua Market LLC, both on West Broad Street, were notified and cited for selling tobacco products to minors.

Hobbs said the force is educating employees at those businesses so the sales do not happen again.

Compliant businesses found during the checks, he said, include Boyer’s Food Store, Turkey Hill, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Fegley’s Mini Mart and Rite-Aid.

“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate those businesses on their efforts to prevent the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to minors,” Hobbs said.

He commended task force officers who he said worked diligently and will continue to do so.

“Moving forward, there will be additional tobacco compliance checks conducted to ensure that businesses comply with the law and protect our youth from the harm caused by nicotine/tobacco products,” he said.