A crackdown on under 18s using fake or borrowed ID to attempt to gain entry to pubs and clubs has been held in Swansea.
Police and trading standards mounted the Operation Nemesis II in Wind Street between 8pm and midnight on Wednesday night.
Anyone found to be presenting fake or borrowed identification by door staff was taken to a nearby location. Their parents or guardians were then contacted to collect them.
Swansea city centre Inspector Cath Larkman, who co-ordinates Operation Nemesis II, said: “The youngsters were subject to checks and given information regarding the effects of alcohol and the potential consequences of trying to pass fake or borrowed identification to door staff.
“It is the first time we have contacted parents to collect the young people from Wind Street itself and this was done to show them first hand the environment that they were permitting their children to be in.”
A total of 29 youngsters were caught during the operation, 11 males and 18 females from areas including Porthcawl, Neath, Carmarthen, Llanelli and Burry Port. Only one item of ID was found to be fake, with the remainder being borrowed.
Previous operations have seen parents being asked to collect the young people from Swansea Central Police Station.
Inspector Larkman added: “The response of the parents and guardians who were asked to come and collect the young people from Wind Street was very good.
“They really took on board the fact that this was a constructive alternative to facing prosecution and obtaining a criminal record. In many cases, the officers present were thanked for taking this approach.
“A number of parents also expressed their shock at what Wind Street actually looked like at that time of night and now realise that it is a venue suitable only for adults, which was the key reason for choosing a location on Wind Street, rather than bringing the young people back to the police station.”
Operation Nemesis II is a continuing initiative to tackle issues associated with the night-economy in Swansea.
Preventing under-age people access to pubs and clubs is a key part of the operation and is supported by licensees and door staff.
Inspector Larkman added: “We are working closely with our partners to address issues of personal responsibility by young persons and their parents. Door staff have really stepped to the challenge and are proactively checking ID and challenging people they suspect are under age.”
