Nine motorists were arrested for drink driving in a pre-dawn islandwide operation conducted on Saturday, said the Traffic Police.

The nine motorists, all males aged between 32 and 64, had failed the breathalyser test when they were stopped at road blocks set up in various parts of Singapore. A total of 48 motorists were stopped and tested for alcohol consumption.

The highest Breath Evidential Analyser test result was 85 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 mililitres of breath. This is more than twice the prescribed legal limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 mililitres of breath.

Investigations are ongoing. If convicted of drink driving, motorists will be disqualified from driving for at least a year.

First-time offenders can also be fined between $1,000 and $5,000, while repeat offenders may be punished with a maximum fine of $30,000 and a mandatory jail term of up to three years. They may also be caned up to six strokes should death or serious injury be caused.