Within three weeks of the launch of Operation Tonic Christmas campaign on December 1, police officials have arrested over 100 motorists for drink or drug driving across Avon and Somerset.

According to the police, the number of motorists who have been tested positive in the first 18 days of the Christmas drink drive crackdown stood at 101; a figure which bears a favourable comparison with the 136 arrests made during the same period in 2011.

With Christmas round the corner, police officials have been urging people to forward information about a drink or drug driver by either calling up 999 or sending a text message, "drunk," to 81819 from their handsets.

As per the numbers shared by the police, 12 text messages about drink or drug drivers have thus far been received as well as acted upon. During the same period last year, the police had received 14 text messages.

Meanwhile, a total number of 873 vehicles have been stopped and checked by the police in the first 18 days of the Operation Tonic Christmas campaign. In addition, the police have also issued fixed penalty notices to motorists for several traffic offences, like not wearing seatbelts; along with 19 cautions issued for minor vehicle defects. Moreover, two persons have also been issued with street warnings for possessing cannabis.