Bismarck police say eight of 42 tobacco outlets in the city sold to juveniles during a compliance check.

Sgt. Mark Buschena said a tobacco compliance check team, consisting of four 16-year-old girls, three Police Youth Bureau youth workers and three Bismarck Police Department officers, visited all 42 retail tobacco outlets in Bismarck between 4 and 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Employees at eight businesses sold tobacco to minors, and employees of at least five of the businesses did so after seeing a teen's identification, Buschena said.

He said employees at Simonson's, 1011 E. Main Ave.; CVS, 600 S. Fifth St.; Runway Express/B.P. Amoco, 1616 University Drive; and Northbrook Tesoro, 1905 N. Washington St. asked for identification before selling to the juveniles. A girl gave an employee at Central Market, 1190 W. Turnpike Ave., her identification card without being asked for it, and the employee sold to the girl, Buschena said.

He said an employee at Expressway Amoco/B.P., 919 S. Washington St., did not ask for identification before selling to one of the girls.

Police reports did not indicate if employees at The Pier, 1120 Riverwood Drive; or Cenex Store, 2006 E. Broadway Ave., checked identification before selling to juveniles, Buschena said.

"The teen buyers made no effort to disguise their age and wore clothing, hairstyles and makeup similar to what they ordinarily wear," said a release from Bismarck Police Officer Brett Anderson, a school resource officer.

Adults were responsible for selling to the juveniles at all eight businesses, so reports will be forwarded to the city attorney for possible charges, Buschena said.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)