29 arrested for alleged fake ID’s at Where Else

Any Friday night on campus is sure to be a wild one for most college students above the age of 21, especially the night before Purdue’s men’s basketball team faced Michigan State.

But for almost 30 underage patrons at Where Else on March 1, they ended their night getting arrested for allegedly possessing a fake ID.

In total, 29 individuals, including 26 Purdue students, were charged with possession of false identification, with one also cited with “minors in a tavern,” court documents show.

The average age of those cited was 19.34 years old, according to arrest logs.

Where Else is a local bar in Chauncey Hill Mall that markets itself on instagram as “Purdue's high energy dance bar since 1997.”

The arrests came from the Indiana State Excise Police, the law enforcement branch of the state’s alcohol and trade commission. ISEP has several programs designed to reduce illegal drinking and tobacco use.

One of their programs, “Cops in Shops,” has police pose as employees or customers inside of “licensed dealer establishments,” according to the ATC’s website.

“Upon attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages, the minor will be arrested by the officer,” the website said. “Officers also observe for intoxicated patrons attempting to make purchases and take appropriate enforcement action.”

It is unknown whether the citations at Where Else were a result of the “Cops in Shops” program

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Exponent has tried to reach out to ISEP and Where Else but was unable to reach any representatives for comment.