Rotterdam police stop 115 drivers for alcohol or drug use in overnight operation
In a large-scale police operation overnight, 115 drivers in Rotterdam were caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, authorities reported Saturday. According to Rijnmond, about 100 drivers tested positive for alcohol, while 18 were found under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs. Overall, police confiscated 17 driver’s licenses.
The operation ran from 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., targeting every vehicle leaving the city center. Approximately 250 officers were stationed at seven exit points around the center to conduct breath tests. Drivers who tested positive underwent further analysis in mobile units to determine their alcohol levels.
Police also found a stolen car, illegal fireworks in the backseat of an 18-year-old driver’s vehicle on the Erasmus Bridge, and a child in a car driven by a drunk motorist. Another driver tried swapping seats with a passenger.
A spokesperson for the traffic police said the last operation of this scale in Rotterdam was in 2009. “Because so many people still drive under the influence, it was necessary to send a clear signal,” the spokesperson said. “The goal is zero people driving under the influence.”
Opinions among drivers were mixed. One woman told Rijnmond that the operation improved overall road safety. “We shouldn’t drive irresponsibly, right? Why shouldn’t we be checked if we have nothing to hide?” Another driver disagreed, noting, “I don’t drink for religious reasons, so it doesn’t affect me, but I am getting home later because of this.”
