Hamilton police introduce bottle marking scheme to deter underage drinking

Nov 5 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

BOTTLES of booze popular with teeny tipplers in Hamilton are to be marked with an invisible code – in a new blitz on underage drinkers.

Community cops, community wardens and shopkeepers in Hamilton have joined forces to stamp out underage drinking and associated alcohol-related anti-social behaviour by launching a new bottle-marking scheme.

It means products popular with young drinkers such as Bacardi Breezers, Smirnoff Ice, WKD, lager, cider and Buckfast will be marked with a UV pen.

Officers and community wardens have been issued with portable ultraviolet lights, supplied and funded by the Lanarkshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership.

The aim of this joint initiative is to support responsible licence holders and deter older peer group members from buying booze for underage friends or relatives.

It will also be used to identify items recovered by police and council staff.

Officers will get tough on underage drinkers and adults buying booze for them.

Police will investigate each and every case thoroughly, and aim to prosecute any adults found selling drink to young people.

Any alcohol found on youngsters will be confiscated, and letters will be sent to the parents of any youths caught and identified.

Inspector Fraser Lamb, community policing inspector said: “My primary concern is to disrupt the supply of alcohol and impact on community concerns relating to alcohol-related violence and disorder. There is an emerging trend of alcohol being consumed in public areas, including common closes.

“Our consultations and visits to off-sales premises in Hamilton show that there is worrying increase in the number of adults buying alcohol for youngsters.”

Tracey Black, licence holder of Londis in Cadzow Street, Hamilton, said: "All staff are trained and aware of their responsibility, particularly since the introduction of the new licensing laws.

“We operate a strict policy on all age-restricted products."