Surrey RCMP bust party bus with 40 intoxicated youths aboard

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      RCMP and bylaw enforcement have cracked down on a chauffeured vehicle operation that involved underage drinking.

      Surrey RCMP received information about party buses and limousines, with youths consuming alcohol aboard, in the Strawberry Hills area of Newton.

      Youths were allegedly paying a fee to board these vehicles and drink alcohol on them.

      At 9 p.m. on August 31, officers stopped a party bus and found open liquor and 40 intoxicated passengers, who were between the ages of 15 and 18 years old, inside.

      The bus driver received multiple violation tickets, including for being over the 35-person capacity, open liquor in a vehicle, and not having a chaffeur’s license.

      Police are conducting a followup with the party bus owner, and are reviewing compliance with the Motor Vehicle Act and Liquor Control and Licensing Act.

      Parent who have concerns that their children may be involved in dangerous or illegal activity can contact the Surrey RCMP Parent Helpline at 604-599-7800.

      In October 2018, the B.C. government boosted fines for party buses and similar vehicles that fail to meet safety requirements.

      The increases came in the wake of incidents involving party buses in Vancouver, including the death of a 23-year-old Langley woman who fell out of a bus in Downtown Vancouver in 2016 and a bus that caught on fire on Granville Street in 2017.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook

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