Crackdown targets teenage drinking

Officers from 21 forces across England and Wales confiscated more than 3,700 litres of beer, wine, cider, spirits and alcopops during the autumn blitz.

They also used new powers under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 to disperse groups suspected of alcohol-related crime or disorder.

The Home Office-funded campaign ran from October 8 to November 5 and focused on the weekends, half-term school holiday, Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Police and community support officers visited public areas known to be underage drinking hotspots, seizing alcohol and dispersing threatening groups.

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said: "This campaign was designed to bring to bear the full range of police tools and powers to tackle the harm caused to individuals and communities by underage drinking. It will not be the last.

"Quite simply we will not tolerate drinking in public by under-18s or anyone else where it leads to anti-social and intimidating behaviour.

"Confiscation complements our efforts to tackle the supply of alcohol to children. The enforcement of underage sales law has hardened dramatically in recent years and I know that many alcohol retailers have raised their game and now routinely apply 'Challenge 21' criteria to anyone who looks underage.

"The Government remains committed to working with the police and local authorities to use every measure at our disposal - both coercive and co-operative - to make sure everyone over the age of 18 can enjoy alcohol safely and responsibly."

Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) spokesman and Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Chris Allison said: "This campaign was one of a number that have been undertaken to deal with the negative effects of alcohol. Significant work has been done on the issue of underage sales and this campaign sought to use the tactic of confiscation to help prevent the drink-fuelled crime and anti-social behaviour that we witness up and down the country."