A woman taxi driver is facing drink driving charges after police breath tested her while she was on duty in the Coromandel today.

Police Sergeant Paul Scoble says the arrest of a professional driver is all the more concerning given people often rely on taxi drivers to get them home safely.

He says the woman was stopped by police at a checkpoint near Tairua shortly before lunchtime today when she was driving a taxi.

Paul says alcohol was detected on her breath and the woman was subjected to an evidential breath test, which he says returned a result of 568mgms.

'This result shows drink drivers don't discriminate in terms of a preferred time of day to put other motorists' lives at risk and it's tantamount to a betrayal of the trust placed in cabbies by members of the public to provide a safe, reliable and sober service.

'This latest arrest follows a number last year where drivers were found intoxicated behind the wheel during the day.

'A number of drivers said the officers should be out catching burglars instead of picking on motorists, but as a matter of fact about the same time the woman was being processed a man was also arrested in relation to thefts ex-car.

'Irregular, frequent checkpoints on our roads not only act as a deterrent to drink drivers they are also very effective in disrupting criminal activity.

'Not everyone who drives is a criminal, but most criminals drive and we know from experience that impromptu vehicle stops are a very effective deterrent.”