In Tayside, officers made 557 visits to off-sales premises during the campaign, though none was detected selling alcohol to under 18s.

Officers caught 26 youngsters under the age of 18 drinking alcohol in public — 18 males and eight females.

There were 39 males and six females over the age of 18 caught drinking in public locally during the one-month crackdown, part of the Safer Scotland campaign.

There were no incidents detected of under 18s purchasing or attempting to buy alcohol, while two people were found trying to buy alcohol for under 18s.

During the campaign, police in the Perth area ran a Youth Alcohol/Anti Vandalism operation in an effort to disrupt courses of behaviour, which precipitate acts of vandalism.

Foot and cycle patrols were deployed in hotspot areas in Western division and fixed penalty notices were issued for anti-social behaviour and also involved liaison with the local authority with regards to divisionary activities.

Fife is playing a pivotal role in the efforts to curb under-age drinking, with the region spearheading the recently-introduced test purchasing scheme.

The Kingdom was home to the first person in Scotland to have their licence suspended when a Methil shopkeeper sold alcohol to two different 16-year-olds over a two-day period at the end of June.

Supt Martin Birrell, project co-ordinator, said, “We’re aware of the concern of the public in relation to drinking in public places.”

“In Fife, we are taking measures to prevent this problem from occurring, including our participation in the Safer Scotland campaign and our successful test purchasing pilot.

“These latest operations demonstrate the extent of the problem and we will continue to take measures to keep on top of it.”

Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said the figures were a concern.

“It is very concerning there are so many people willing to break the law by supplying alcohol to under 18s or by street drinking,” he said.

“We hope this police initiative has hit home the message that alcohol offences are taken seriously, and that supplying alcohol to under 18s is illegal, dangerous and will not be tolerated.”