REVELLERS full of Christmas wine and spirit in Monmouthshire are being warned to be on their best behaviour or face the wrath of Gabriel.

Since November 24 operation Gabriel, which will be enforced until January 3, has been keeping a tight reign on party-goers in the region. It is a multi-agency operation that will in place throughout the B division during the festive and party season. It involves Monmouthshire Trading Standards and Licensing department, Gwent Alcohol Project, Youth Offending team and Monmouthsire and Torfaen community Safety Partnership, as well as more police officers patrolling throughout the areas.

There will be a series of initiatives taking place including underage drinking operations, where licensees found serving underage drinkers will be prosecuted.

The operation, which is partly funded through the Welsh Assembly Government, will involve extra officers patrolling and targeting all known hot spot areas for underage and binge drinkers throughout the division. If youths are found with alcohol, it will be seized. People who are found to be drunk and disorderly or committing public order offences will be arrested and possibly given a £80 fixed penalty notice.

If there are any seizures of alcohol from youngsters or arrests as a result of drunken behaviour, names will be forwarded to either Monmouthshire or Torfaen's Community Safety Unit Prevention and Intervention Projects. Posters and beer mats have been distributed to licensed premises to remind the public of the possibility of being fined.

Inspector Jim Walker, of Chepstow police, said: "It is our intention to reduce violent crimes linked with alcohol, tackle anti-social behaviour related to the misuse of alcohol, address the issue of alcohol being sold to those under the age of 18."

Inspector Walker also aims to the reduce fear of alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.