The Polk County Sheriff's Office conducted an "Operation Pop-Top" on Tuesday, April 4, 2022, at eight different convenience stores in the Winter Haven area. The ongoing operation is designed to ensure that stores within the county are compliant with state laws by not selling alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age.

Deputies are assisted in the operation by a PCSO Explorer who makes the attempt to purchase alcohol. The Explorer program is for high school students who are interested in a career in law enforcement. In this particular operation, the Explorer was 18-years-old. 

Out of the eight stores visited by Deputies and the Explorer on Tuesday, seven of the stores were compliant.

67-year old Zahi Awad of Winter Haven, who is employed by the Twin Bros Food Mart store at 3250 Lake Alfred Rd. in Winter Haven, was charged with the misdemeanor crime after she allowed an 18-year old to purchase an alcoholic beverage.

The seven stores which refused to sell the alcoholic beverage to the Explorer were:
• 7-Eleven, 4000 Recker Hwy., Winter Haven
• Del’s Go Shop, 90 Coleman Rd., Winter Haven
• Chevron, 2590 Recker Hwy., Winter Haven
• Sunoco, 1502 Recker Hwy., Winter Haven
• Marathon, 1660 S Lake Ship Dr., Winter Haven
• Aladdin Market, 1450 S Lake Ship Dr., Winter Haven
• Wawa, 1490 Third St. SW, Winter Haven 

“The stores and employees who were found to be in compliance with the law are to be congratulated. Each store and the employees must ensure that they do not sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21 years of age. We do these operations often, and we will hold stores and employees accountable.” - Grady Judd, Sheriff.