Four Citations Issued in Camarillo Tobacco Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation

Nature of Incident: Tobacco Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation
Location: Various Retail Locations ~ City of Camarillo
Date: October 14-30, 2025
Unit(s) Responsible: Camarillo Community Resources Unit, Camarillo City Code Enforcement

Suspects // City of Residence // Age
Ruben Zaragoza-Meza, Camarillo, 54
Isaiha Orozco, Camarillo, 30
Kamil Jumale, Camarillo, 26       
Victor Alba, West Hills, 45

On October 14th and October 30th, 2025, between 4:00 PM and 10:00 PM, members of the Camarillo Community Resources Unit and Camarillo City Code Enforcement conducted an underage tobacco decoy sting.  The goal of the operation is to limit underage access to tobacco products. The operations resulted in four misdemeanor citations, including one patron who furnished alcohol to the underage decoy and three who furnished tobacco.

During the operation, underage decoys, under the direct supervision of law enforcement, asked patrons next to Camarillo tobacco retail businesses to purchase tobacco products for them since they were under the age of 21 years old. Three suspects took the underage decoy’s money and furnished tobacco products. Additionally, one suspect took the decoy’s money and furnished alcohol. The suspects were able to legally purchase the tobacco and alcohol with the money given to them by the decoy and exchanged the tobacco and alcohol with the decoy outside the business.

Penal Code 308(a)(1)(A)(i) makes it a misdemeanor for a subject to furnish tobacco and tobacco products to a minor who is under the age of 21. Furthermore, Business and Profession Code (BP) 25658(a) makes it a misdemeanor for a subject to furnish alcohol to a minor who is under the age of 21.

The Camarillo Police Department will continue to collaborate with Camarillo City Code Enforcement and Ventura County Public Health to educate and enforce against the sale of tobacco products to minors. The tobacco decoy operation was paid for by a Tobacco Grant from the California Department of Justice.

The Camarillo Police Department would like to remind parents to talk to their children about the dangers of using drugs (like tobacco) and alcohol. Parents play an important role in limiting access to unsafe items in the home and educating their children about drug and alcohol safety.

Anyone who knows of adults furnishing tobacco products to minors or establishments that sell tobacco products to minors, please call the Sheriff’s Office at (805) 654-9511 or email Senior Deputy Matthew Koenig with CRU (matthew.koenig@venturacounty.gov). People who call can remain anonymous.