where drug smugglers face hanging.

The players were representing Bermuda in last month's World Cup qualifying tournament in Malaysia.

Last night a shocked Premier Pamela Gordon said: "If the reports are true, then those responsible are lucky to come back alive.'' Now the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control (BCBC) is setting up a special committee to probe the allegations.

Members could include lawyer Michael Mello; Postmaster General Clevelyn Crichlow, who has chaired a cricket disciplinary committee before; and Bermuda Police's Supt. Campbell Simons, former Cup Match captain for Somerset.

The BCBC has also withheld a grant from one of the players under suspicion until the outcome of the inquiry.

"We take an extremely serious attitude to drugs. We have a zero-tolerance policy to them,'' said BCBC president Ed Bailey.

He spoke after The Royal Gazette confronted him yesterday morning with the drug allegations.

Mr. Bailey, who later issued a general statement to other news organisations, said the alleged incident occurred towards the end of the tournament, when Bermuda had already lost any chance of qualifying for the World Cup.

The controversy -- which echoes the "Miami Seven'' soccer saga three years ago and a 1995 cricket tour to Holland -- has been confirmed to The Royal Gazette by several people involved in the ICC Trophy tournament in Malaysia.

It has erupted amid reports that cricket chiefs tried to keep the lid on a rash of off-the-field incidents.

Other tour problems included curfew-breaking disputes and allegations a player was nearly sent home following an outburst.

It also emerged yesterday: Government has known about drug rumours, although the public have not been informed until now what action was being taken; Mr. Bailey maintained he did not know about the suspicions until several days after they first surfaced; Players were warned by BCBC officials and tournament organisers of Malaysia's tough stance on drugs before the tour; They signed forms stating they were aware of the BCBC's anti-drug policy and were prepared to be subject to tests; and The team was not officially tested or drug searched before or after the tour, although Mr. Bailey said one player was picked out for testing. It proved negative.

Suspicions of drug use have been included in coach Allan Douglas' report on the ill-fated Malaysia tournament.

The team's assistant Bobby Simpson -- a former Australian captain -- is also believed to have touched on possible drug misuse in his report.

Yesterday Mr. Bailey said the BCBC general council would discuss the reports, possibly next Tuesday.

The tournament saw Bermuda fail to qualify for the 1999 World Cup as Bangladesh, Kenya and Scotland clinched the three places up for grabs.

Bermuda finished a disappointing ninth after winning the Plate final in the consolation group. And the drugs controversy is bound to fuel the debate over what went wrong.

Said Mr. Bailey: "We intend setting up a committee of independent members to investigate what may have taken place. At this stage we have only suspicions since no illegal substance was found on any of our players.

Board of inquiry to probe drug allegations "Mr. Douglas's report deals with an alleged incident and mentions names, although Mr. Simpson's report does not illuminate this particular matter.'' He added: "Nothing was found on any player, all we have are suspicions and I wouldn't like to prejudge the inquiry...I am a lawyer and I believe in natural justice.'' Mr. Bailey said suspicions centred on two -- possibly three -- players, who would appear before the committee. But he poured cold water on persistent reports more were involved.

"I have no knowledge of that,'' he said, declining to name those at the centre of suspicions.

Any player, he added, found guilty of drug abuse would face suspension. There would also be attempts to rehabilitate him.

When approached about the drug allegations, Mr. Bailey said he had in mind Mr.

Mello, Mr. Crichlow and Supt. Simons for possible inclusion in the committee of inquiry, although he had not contacted them.

He later rang The Royal Gazette to say he had spoken to Mr. Mello and Mr.

Crichlow, but had yet to speak to Supt. Simons.

Asked about drug testing, Mr. Bailey said: "One player was tested before the tournament, but the result was not positive.'' He declined to say why the player was singled out for testing and not the others.

It was in mid-March that the Bermuda squad arrived in Malaysia.

People arriving at the airport in Kuala Lumpur are confronted by signs warning them drug traffickers face execution by hanging.

It is also normal for pilots to warn passengers of the country's severe drug penalties before touching down.

The squad booked in at Crown Princess Hotel in Kuala Lumpur for the tournament.

They were on one of the upper floors, believed to be the 19th, which they shared with players from other teams.

Sources told The Royal Gazette at least two players -- probably more -- were suspected of smoking marijuana in a hotel room.

The amount of marijuana reportedly involved is not known. Nor is it clear whether the suspected weed was smuggled into Malaysia or bought there.

It is understood Mr. Douglas and team captain Albert Steede were alerted to possible drug misuse by two other players who caught a whiff of what they believed to be marijuana smoke from a hotel bedroom.

Mr. Douglas and Mr. Steede then confronted two of the players over drug suspicions, but were met with denials.

Mr. Bailey said the BCBC had a policy of policing itself over drugs. And, he added, it appeared to have worked in this case.

"That two players should alert the coach shows that they are taking our hard line on drugs seriously.

"The inquiry will try to establish whether marijuana was involved and whether it came from a room occupied by Bermudians.'' Mr. Douglas yesterday declined to comment. Mr. Simpson could not be reached in Australia.

Sport Minister David Dyer said he had heard of the drug allegations.

"We are waiting to at least find out whether there is any relevance or merit to the reports.

"I think it would be appropriate for the BCBC to investigate and prepare some report.'' Dr. Dyer said his Ministry -- which provides the BCBC with an annual grant -- could set up another board of inquiry, with broader terms of reference.

"Obviously this would depend on what comes out of the BCBC inquiry.'' He added: "The Ministry has a zero-tolerance policy to any forms of illicit substance and has strong concerns about the abuse of licit substances.'' The controversy is likely to be unwelcome news to Premier Pamela Gordon, who has put the fight against drugs at the top of her political agenda.

Bermuda's sporting community has been rocked by two drug scandals in recent years.

In 1995, Mr. Bailey vehemently denied a television report that two members of the Bermuda youth team tested positive for drugs before a disastrous International Youth Tournament in Holland. But he later was forced to confront new allegations players were smoking marijuana throughout the tour.

Members of the team, speaking on condition of anonymity, said several players smoked marijuana.

One player claimed at least half of the team, made up of 14 regulars and two reserves, were involved in drug use while they were in Holland, a country noted for its liberalised drug laws.

Bermuda finished the tournament in last place with an 0-6 record.

In 1994, seven Bermudian Under-23 soccer players were arrested in Miami for alleged drug offences.

They were later allowed home after pleading no contest to possessing marijuana following a deal between prosecution and defence lawyers.

The players were arrested on December 9 following a Pan Am Games qualifying tournament in Jamaica.

Prosecutors said some 30 grams of cannabis were found in sneakers in the defendants' luggage.

BCBC chief Ed Bailey