Drink-drive campaign nets escaped prisoner

Auckland police got more than they bargained for during an anti-drink driving campaign over the weekend when along with drunk drivers, they netted an escaped prisoner.

They also came across three disqualified drivers and seized a quantity of the drug methamphetamine.

The campaign, run by police and the specialist Traffic Alcohol Group saw 108 people detected driving with excess breath alcohol.

From those drivers, 24 elected to have blood tests taken, which will determine whether or not they too will face court proceedings.

Operation Early Bird was run in and around the city from 3am to dawn and the same today during which 8980 vehicles were stopped.

Police said ten of those tested positive for excess breath alcohol were teenagers aged under 20.

Several of the drivers caught during this operation returned a breath reading of over 1000. The permitted level is 400.

Police also arrested several people including an escaped prisoner, three disqualified drivers, and people in possession of the drug methamphetamine and pipes.

Police also impounded 11 cars.

When a similar operation was run in September more than 10,000 drivers were stopped and over 100 prosecuted for driving with excess breath/blood alcohol.

Auckland City road policing manager Inspector Heather Wells said the results were "very disappointing as they show that the message is not getting through that drunk drivers are dangerous".

"There are options readily available so people don't have to drink and drive," she said.

"The price of a taxi, dial-a-driver, or having a sober driver are all a lot cheaper than being prosecuted for drink driving, and a lot easier to live with than killing or injuring someone."

Ms Wells said there was a fatality in Grey Lynn on Wednesday where the driver was affected by alcohol.

- NZPA