Police have no knowledge of toddlers being used as drug couriers.

But if members of the public do, they should contact Police.

Spokesman P.c. Gary Venning made this clear yesterday after a Government senator claimed that children as young as three and four were unwitting couriers of illegal substances.

Sen. Yvette Swan, who is also the Minister of Government and Community Services, told members of the Upper House it was common knowledge that toddlers, whose families were involved in the drugs scene, were often used as mules.

"It is obvious, you can see it all over the place,'' Sen. Swan said. "It is awful, these are children, period. They shouldn't be used in situations like this.'' But P.c. Venning, responding to inquiries from The Royal Gazette , said neither Narcotics nor Juvenile officers had come across any situations where children have been involved in drug seizures.

"If Sen. Swan, or any other member of the public, has any information about such incidents, they should come forward and inform Police,'' he added.

"Any drug courier is a matter of concern to us, especially when they are children.'' When contacted yesterday, Sen. Swan admitted that she did not personally know of any drug incidents involving toddlers.

"I have not actually seen it, but I've been told about it,'' she said. "I thought I would let people know this is happening.

"We are conscious of the fact that people smoke around these young people and do drugs.'' Sen. Swan -- during the Motion to Adjourn in the Senate on Wednesday -- added that not only were youngsters used as couriers, but there were children as young as six and seven hanging around the streets at night, when their parents were not aware they were there.

And yesterday she said she and her colleagues were looking at pending legislation concerning children.

"It will at least make parents aware of what is going on,'' she explained.

While stressing that the majority of parents in Bermuda are "good'' parents, Sen. Swan said: "Some parents are just not responsible.

"When you see young children on the street on push bikes, you have to wonder where are the parents?'' Parents had to be reminded "every so often'' about their responsibility, she added.

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