 Towns like Castle Douglas will see the drinks crackdown |
Brightly coloured bags are being used to try to trace where underage drinkers are getting their alcohol. The operation is being pioneered by police in the Stewartry district of Dumfries and Galloway.
Operation Polly uses different coloured bags to link underage drinkers to the retailer which sold the alcohol.
It is hoped the scheme will help tackle anti-social behaviour in the area's main towns like Dalbeattie, Castle Douglas and Kirkcudbright.
Shops in the area have been allocated different coloured bags and youths seen in possession of carriers suspected of containing alcohol will be searched.
The colour of the bags found discarded at drinking spots will also be traced back to the premises where the drinks were sold.
Acting area inspector Ian Rae stressed police did not wish to stigmatise this particular age range.
However, he added that it had to be accepted that under 18s accounted for a high percentage of alcohol related incidents.
Running in conjunction with the operation is a new series of sixth year school initiatives warning of the dangers of excessive drinking.
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