Akl's quiet night pleases police

  • 15/05/2016
Operation Relentless carried out in Auckland City (Newshub)
Operation Relentless carried out in Auckland City (Newshub)

Fifteen people were arrested and 12 will be prosecuted as a result of a major police alcohol crackdown in Auckland last night.

More than 70 staff carried out foot patrols, drink driving tests and enforced alcohol bans from 2pm yesterday, with a focus on preventing alcohol-fuelled crime.

"We had to respond to a big spike in disorder and assaults in the CBD around 4am," says Insepctor Benefield.

"Unfortunately this has become common as it's when licensed premises close and people congregated on the streets after drinking alcohol for long periods of time."

However, police say on the whole last night's "disorder" was less than on a typical Saturday night.

Fifteen people were arrested for disorder and violence-related offences involving alcohol -- 12 will be prosecuted for drinking driving.

Police issued 29 infringement notices involving a $250 fine for people who breached local alcohol bans in Ponsonby and the CBD.

Of the 25 off-licence premises tested in an earlier controlled purchase operation, none sold alcohol to minors.

One of the two on-licence premises failed, but police say this is a low failure rate compared to other operations in Auckland city.

Police visited 26 premises in the Karangahape Rd area -- focussing on off-licences, and found one had failed. The road policing checkpoint had eight people fail drink-driving tests by 8pm, and one person was arrested for assault.

Akl's quiet night pleases police

K'Rd (Newshub)

Police say pre-loading is a "major issue", with people buying a box of beers for around $20 and sitting in their car pre-drinking before going onto the street.

Insp Benefield told Newshub it is young people, who will "run the gauntlet because it's cheaper to buy the cans and bottles from the bottle store and get pre-loaded and come and listen to the music".

He said police want Auckland Council to bring back the 3am closing time for bars because the longer they are open, the higher the risk of someone getting hurt.

Newshub.