OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 June 2009 was announced, that Beer Patrol raids took place on the Last Bell’s day (last day of studies at schools), May 25, in the city of Almaty (Kazakhstan). The object of the action was to remind sellers of the liability and necessity to conform to the Act of State Regulation of Production and Circulation of Ethyl Alcohol and Alcoholic Products which prohibits sale of beer to minors.

The ranks of the Patrols included representatives of the Akimat of the city of Almaty, mass media, Young People’s Union of Kazakhstan, popular Kazakh performers Aikyn, Ivan Breusov, the band Tekila, sportsman Dmitry Yermolenko, a many-time champion, prize-winner of international contests in hand-to-hand combat, as well as employees of the Baltika Breweries.

School boys and girls Daniyar, Aset, Batyrbek, Asel, Irina and Yevgeniya aged 16-17 attempted to buy beer at 50 sales outlets of Almaty. Infringement was detected in 24 outlets located in 5 districts of the city. One of the women behind the counter says she knows the law but sold beer being sure that teenagers are buying the beverage not for themselves. Other sales persons simply didn’t pay attention who is standing on the other side of the counter, somebody tried to justify themselves saying that the teenagers looked over 18 year old. In the remaining outlets beer was not sold to the young students. Some referred to the Act, others reprimanded the schoolmates at the spot.

The participants of the Beer Patrol reminded sales assistants of the rules of the Act and left in the sales outlets the sticker ‘Are you 18? Confirm,’ in order to call on the buyers to evidence their age themselves. In the end of the day the participants of the Patrols drew conclusions and informed the Department of Business and Industry of Almaty on the results of the raids.

Vitaly Li, Director of an affiliate Baltika-Almaty: ‘Practice shows that there are still sales assistants who don’t conform to the Act and sell beer to minors. This year the action Beer Patrol organized by the Baltika Breweries extended outside Russia, and currently raids are conducted in CIS countries as well. It is through joint efforts only that a real result could be obtained. It is necessary for everyone to stay careful and remind unprincipled sellers of the Act, thus preventing free sale of beer to teenagers.’

Bakhychzhan Sapiyev, head of the Department of Business and Industry of Almaty: ‘I would like to note that the Akimat of the city conducts such raids continuously, and we are completely agree that the role of society in this matter is very high, and the situation depends not only on the regulating authorities and sellers, but on parents, mass media, and young people’s idols as well. As the check has shown it is still early to sound the alarm in the city, but it is necessary to conduct such raids as preventive measures. I am sure that our joint efforts will greatly contribute to the formation of the physical and moral health of the young generation of the Kazakh people.’