An 18-year-old who dobbed in her allegedly drink-driving mother was a "life-saver", police say.
The young woman was a passenger in a car being driven by her mother from Alexandra to Roxburgh on Friday night and was so concerned about her mother's level of intoxication she persuaded her to stop the car, "bailed from the vehicle and contacted police", acting Central Otago police sub-area commander Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said.
The driver, a 47-year-old Alexandra woman, was processed for drink-driving and recorded a breath-alcohol level of 928mcg. She was remanded in custody to appear in the Queenstown District Court today, he said.
She was one of more than 30 people arrested by police across Otago and Southland at the weekend for fighting, drink-driving, obstruction and other offences as part of a major transtasman operation targeting booze-fuelled behaviour.
Operation Unite saw 192 uniformed police officers and support agency staff fanning out across the Southern police district - including Dunedin, Queenstown and Invercargill - on Friday and Saturday nights.
The operation was the fourth run by Australian and New Zealand authorities aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm.
"We are full of praise for the actions of the daughter. It was a difficult decision to make but she acknowledged her mother's actions made her a danger to herself and to the public, " Sgt Kerrisk said.
The woman was already on bail on a separate drink-driving charge, he said.
The daughter, visiting from overseas, was shocked by the incident and was being supported by Victim Support.
Twenty-three motorists processed for drink-driving were among 1865 motorists stopped during Operation Unite, Acting Senior Sergeant Chris McLellan, of Dunedin, said yesterday.
Fifteen were caught in Dunedin, three each in Invercargill and Queenstown, and one each in Wanaka and Alexandra, he said.
Among those arrested was a Balclutha man who crashed while driving on the wrong side of State Highway 1 near Henley about 2am on Saturday, Snr Sgt McLellan said.
The man was processed for drink-driving after recording a breath-alcohol level of 636mcg and would appear in the Dunedin District Court, he said.
Two Dunedin bars - which he would not name - were among six southern venues found in breach of the Sale of Liquor Act by police who targeted 157 licensed premises, checking for minors in bars, intoxicated patrons and other offences.
Police carried out more than 20 controlled purchase operations - checking to see if licensed venues would sell alcohol to minors - including 12 in Dunedin. All the city's bars complied with rules.
Invercargill police Sergeant John Harris said it was a "disgrace" three of five licensed venues in Mataura targeted by controlled purchase operations were caught breaking rules.
Police logged 22 alcohol-fuelled assaults across the southern region during the operation, including family violence and other incidents, he said.
In one incident, Gore police were forced to call for help from Invercargill police early yesterday, after being attacked by bottle-throwing revellers at an "out-of-control party", he said.
Two people arrested for obstruction would appear in the Invercargill District Court, he said.
Nationally, the operation resulted in 538 arrests for a variety of offences while 467 motorists were processed for drink-driving - another 65 were waiting on blood test results - and 94 people were arrested for liquor ban breaches.
Police detected 105 breaches of the Sale of Liquor Act during visits to licensed premises, and caught 70 outlets selling alcohol to minors in controlled purchase operations.
