Throughout Otago and Southland a total of 27 arrests were made, and 11 people were processed for drink-driving.
The highest breath-alcohol level recorded by Southern police at the weekend was 919mcg, returned by a Christchurch woman in her early 20s who was allegedly driving a car which crashed in Portsmouth Dr, Dunedin, about 12.20am yesterday.
Southern deployment co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Craig Brown, of Dunedin, said the other incidents of drink-driving were spread throughout Otago and Southland.
More than 2000 motorists were stopped and breath-tested in the Southern police district between 6pm and 6am over Friday and Saturday nights.
The operation, held throughout New Zealand and Australia, involved about 200 Southern police staff who were assisted by community patrols and Maori wardens.
As well as conducting road checkpoints, officers undertook more patrols on foot and in vehicles, and increased compliance checks on licensed premises.
Snr Sgt Brown said about 80 licensed premises were checked for compliance, and 30 were subject to a controlled purchase operation.
Staff at four Southland establishments sold alcohol to a minor.
The premises were the Invercargill Workingmen's Club, the Pioneer Tavern at Edendale, and two bars being run at the Ascot Park Raceway for the Christmas at the Races event in Invercargill on Saturday.
Southland area prevention manager Inspector Olaf Jensen, of Invercargill, said he was disappointed by the failures of the licensed premises.
Of the 27 arrests, 14 were for disorderly behaviour at Invercargill (6), Oamaru (3), Dunedin (2), Queenstown (2), and Tuatapere (1).
Three arrests for breach of liquor bans were made in Queenstown, Oamaru and Invercargill.
Snr Sgt Brown said the other arrests were spread throughout the Southern police district and related to a variety of incidents including domestic events.
He said the number of arrests was relatively low, given the extent of the operation, but it was still more than police hoped for.
''We are always hoping to get very few or no drink-drivers, and the same goes with licensed premises and compliance. In terms of numbers, it's a low percentage, but it's still too many in the bigger picture.''
Nationwide more than 336 people were arrested for alcohol-related offences and more than 200 people were processed for drink-driving.
There were at least 12 alcohol-related assaults and 179 breaches of the current sale of liquor act, including 32 sales of alcohol to minors in controlled purchase operations.
Overall 43,916 drivers were checked for being alcohol impaired, police made 240 ''brief interventions'' by handing resources to intoxicated persons, and directly referred 16 people to an alcohol helpline.
