Seventeen people – including 13 UB students – were arrested for using fake identification or using another person’s ID as part of a three-bar police sting Thursday night into Friday morning.
State police and the Department of Motor Vehicles coordinated the operation, which had the assistance of the local bars at which the arrests occurred. Two of the bars are located near UB’s campuses: The U on Maple Road right off of North Campus and University Heights bar, The Steer. The other bar in the sting was Bottoms Up, which is located in downtown Buffalo.
It is against New York State law to use a driver license of another person or knowingly possess a forged instrument such as a license.
Police made the arrests at the doors of the bars and officials said none of the people arrested made it inside the establishments or were served alcohol. Some of the arrests were done by police officers working undercover at the door checking IDs.
Two University Heights bars on Main Street have closed down in recent years amid troubles with underage drinking. The New York State Liquor Authority shut down Mojo’s in May 2013 for allegedly serving alcohol to minors.
The New York State Police did not respond to The Spectrum before the time of press.
Tom Dink is a senior news editor and can be contacted at tom.dinki@ubspectrum.com