Police in San Mateo County arrested 12 people Friday during a sting operation aimed at preventing underage drinking.
Officers from Brisbane, Broadmoor, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, Pacifica, San Bruno, South San Francisco and unincorporated San Mateo county participated.
The sting went like this: minors, under the supervision of officers, stood outside liquor and convenience stores and asked adults to buy alcohol for them because they couldn't legally do it themselves, police said.
The people who bought the kids alcohol were was arrested after unknowingly handing it over the the youngsters.
The people who were arrested will have to pay $1,000 and serve 24 hours of community service.
Police said the operation is intended to reduce underage drinking. Statistically, they said, kids under 18 have higher rates of drunken driving crashes than adults.
