RALEIGH, N.C. — The cigarette police are back from making rounds, but the results are not good.

Alcohol Law Enforcement agents checked 82 retail establishments in Chatham, Durham, Orange, Vance and Wake counties that sell tobacco products. Nineteen store clerks received criminal citations for selling to minors.

"Our efforts to address the very serious issue of the unlawful sale of tobacco products to underage purchasers are ongoing," said ALE Director Mike Robertson. "We are determined to safeguard our state's youth by educating them concerning the consequences of smoking, as well as identifying and addressing retail locations that fail to comply with North Carolina's statutory requirements."

The sweeps are paid for in part with money from the national tobacco settlement to reduce teenage smoking.