Sergeant Bruce Martin, of Alexandra, said an expected influx of tourists to Central Otago at the weekend prompted police to conduct Operation Dragon, a road policing operation which began on January 29 and ended on Sunday targeting road trauma and traffic offending.
During the period, the police commercial vehicle safety team focused on tourist operators around Te Anau and Omarama and detected multiple unlicensed tour operators.
Sgt Martin said follow-up inquiries were being made.
Te Anau-based tourism operator Martin Sliva said unlicensed tour guides employed "cunning tactics" to get away with acting illegally.
With the excuses they used when confronted, police were limited in what they could no.
"Even though in the past there were suspicious groups caught, police eventually let them go because they didn’t have enough evidence to stop them."
Their illegal activities were putting themselves and clients in harm’s way.
"They don’t keep logbooks, often exceed the legal amount of hours they can drive, and often are paid well below the minimum wage."
The drivers were often from overseas and had been asked by a "random foreign travel agency" to travel to New Zealand with the group and give them a tour, he said.
"They usually drive minibuses from normal rental car companies, in which they can disguise as a family.
"Oftentimes, the operators suggest to their clients, in case they are asked by police, to claim that they are a family or group of friends."
While local companies operated legally, bought the necessary concessions and had the licences needed on hand, they were being undercut by the unlicensed tours.
For Mr Sliva, who offers tours in the Czech language, he could be undercut in the Czech-language tour market by 30% to 50%.
"They can sometimes be good drivers, but because they don’t follow New Zealand rules, there is no control over what they do."
As part of Operation Dragon, many other drivers were caught committing a variety of traffic offences.
Sgt Martin said police focused on the main arterial routes through Central Otago, and Queenstown Lakes to Milford Sound.
Across the 12 days, 260 infringement notices were issued.
"[They] were issued for offences relating to excessive speed, seatbelts and use of cellphones, in addition to a number of notices for overtaking with insufficient room or on no-passing lines.
"Infringements were issued to a number of drivers and passengers found to not be wearing seatbelts — it was concerning that 11 children were found to be unrestrained."
One driver was stopped after allegedly driving at nearly 160kmh on State Highway 97.
A campervan driver underwent breath alcohol procedures and recorded a breath alcohol level of 600mcg, Sgt Martin said.
"The high visible presence of police on the roads contributed to overall good driving behaviour in the area, with a reduction in reports of dangerous driving and no serious traffic crashes in the area during the period of the operation."
