Channel NewsAsia - 48 minutes
ago
SINGAPORE : The Traffic Police mounted its first "ring—fencing"
operation on Sunday morning as part of efforts to sniff out drink
drivers.
And 29 people were arrested during the six—hour blitz at seven
locations.
There was no way out for drink drivers.
One by one, the motorists were stopped by officers to check if
they were fit to get behind the wheels.
The six—hour operation started at 12.30am, with road blocks
along Nicoll Highway, Maxwell Road, Keppel Road, Bishan Road and
Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim.
At 3am, more road blocks were set up in the Havelock and Outram
area as part of the Traffic Police’s ring—fencing strategy.
Superintendent Lee Chee Chiew, Deputy Commander of Traffic
Police, said: "We have our road blocks conducted at all exit roads
outside the cluster of popular drinking outlets ... our officers
will check most of the vehicles, if not 100 percent of the
vehicles, as they come out from these exit roads."
During the operation, breathalyser tests were administered to
170 motorists. Twenty—nine of them failed the tests and were placed
under arrest for drink driving.
The highest breathalyser result clocked was more than twice the
legal limit.
Police say the suspects were aged between 20 and 45 years old.
Three of them were women.
The latest arrests bring the total number of drink drivers
caught during the Lunar New Year period to 90. Sixty—one of them
were nabbed between February 6 and 10.
A motorist who passed the breathalyser test can still be charged
for drink driving if he is unable to control his vehicle.
Those convicted of drink driving will face severe penalties.
First—time offenders can be fined up to $5,000 or jailed up to
six months. Repeat offenders can be slapped with a mandatory jail
term of up to three years.
Drink drivers will also be disqualified from driving for at
least 12 months and have their licences revoked.
Police advise those who drink to take public transport or have a
designated driver send them home. — CNA/de