BY MICHELLE KIM

Five Goffstown businesses failed alcohol compliance checks by selling alcohol to underage buyers Thursday, Oct. 18.

The New Hampshire Bureau of Liquor Enforcement and the Goffstown Police Department ran alcohol compliance checks at more than 20 Goffstown stores and establishments. Of those businesses, employees at the Cumberland Farms, Sully’s Superette, Sara Korean Restaurant, Gulf Express and the New Hampshire State Liquor Store sold alcohol to underage buyers.

In some cases, identification cards were checked and alcohol was still sold, according to Lt. Pat Sullivan of the Goffstown Police Department.

At the Goffstown New Hampshire State Liquor Store, when asked if there would be any additional training in response to the failed check, an employee who identified himself only as Ben said no.

Sully’s Superette manager John Denoncourt said it had been quite a while since they had failed a check.

“The majority of the time we pass, but nothing gets said about the positive,” said Denoncourt.
“We’ve always been training the kids. A person made a mistake.  

“I realize we failed it. We take responsibility for it,” he said.

A manager at the Goffstown Cumberland Farms  said she knew nothing about the incident and referred all inquiries to the corporate offices. Calls to the corporate office were not returned by press time.

The owner of Sara Korean Restaurant, Marie Kim, said her sister, who had been serving that night, had just recently started helping her at the restaurant and had a huge headache that night.

“It just slipped her mind and she didn’t ask for ID,” she said. She added that she herself always checked for identification and her sister knew better now.

The individuals who sold the alcohol, Derek George, 17, of Weare, Arzo Ghafari, 19, of Manchester, Majid Maybrouk, 36, of Somersworth, Helen Park, 38, of Methuen, Mass. and Melvin Blais, 68, of Suncook wil be arraigned in Goffstown District Court on Dec. 4 for violation of prohibited sale of alcohol.