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New Sapolo Restaurant Caught Serving Alcohol to Minors, Police Say

By Janet Upadhye | June 20, 2013 6:45am
 New Sapolo Restaurant is located on Myrtle Avenue and Ryerson Street in Clinton Hill.
New Sapolo Restaurant
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CLINTON HILL — Cops in the 88th Precinct issued two violations to a Myrtle Avenue restaurant after it twice sold alcohol to minors as part of an undercover sting operation.

Residents lodged several complaints against the New Sapolo Restaurant in recent months, alleging the eatery was serving alcohol to minors in to-go cups. In May alone, three calls were made to 311 complaining of underage drinking at the popular eatery.

In response to complaints, cops from the 88th Precinct conducted several undercover operations at the restaurant.

"We sent people that pose as someone under the age of 21 who ask for alcohol to go," said Capt. Scott Henderson, commanding officer of the precinct. "We did substantiate that the complaints are true."

Police have issued two violations of underage alcohol sales to New Sapolo Restaurant owners and reported those violations to the State Liquor Authority.

After four violations, the SLA can take action against the restaurant, Henderson said.

Many residents believe the recent shooting on Myrtle Avenue that killed innocent bystander Antonio Benito Wilson II was the result of an altercation that began at New Sapolo Restaurant.

New Sapolo bartender David Wong spoke about the allegations at a recent meeting.

"We check I.D. a lot of the time and we do not sell drinks to go," he said. "One of our bartenders did not take his duty very professionally that night and we fired him."

Wong added that the manager who was working the night of the shooting received a warning.

"We try our best to control the situation," he said.

Capt. Henderson said police are keeping an eye on the restaurant and New Sapolo is "currently on their best behavior."