Police seize gallons of booze from teenagers

LONDON - Police confiscated more than 3,700 litres of beer, cider, wine and spirits from underage drinkers during a month-long national crackdown, the Home Office said on Saturday.

Officers from 21 police forces took part in the autumn clampdown, which ran from October 8 to November 5.

It targeted known underage drinking hotspots which the Home Office said often turned into no-go areas during evenings.

Police also used powers under the 2006 Violent Crime Reduction Act to disperse groups where alcohol-related crime or disorder was suspected.

"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," said Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker.

The campaign followed a declaration by Prime Minister Gordon Brown that binge and underage drinking that disrupt neighbourhoods were "unacceptable".

Over the summer, police and trading standards officers carried out a programme of underage test purchases of alcohol at 3,000 off-licences, pubs and clubs.

Children were able to buy alcohol in 15 percent of the 9,000 test purchases conducted.

Premises that repeatedly sold alcohol to youths under 18 have had their licences revoked, the Home Office said.