Government?s vow to close 17 known crack houses has stalled because it lacks the necessary legal powers admits National Drug Control Minister Wayne Perinchief.

He said his new ministry had inherited a pledge made in November by Attorney General Larry Mussenden but only six crack houses had been closed ? three of which were not on the original list of 17.

Government uses a housing act which allows it to close vacant and derelict homes but that act is little use for tackling dealers operating out of ordinary houses in respectable neighbourhoods.

Mr. Perinchief wants Bermuda to follow the UK?s Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 which gave new powers to control properties or locations where drug sales were causing serious nuisance or disorder.

Police in Britain can issue a closure notice which must be considered by magistrates within 48 hours.

Once approved, the order closes the premises for up to three months while extensions can take it to six months and tenants or landlords who breach the order can be jailed.

But Mr. Perinchief said the new law wouldn?t be in place until the new year.

?Drafting is not a rapid process but it will be a priority of this ministry to get this legislation through.?

Mr. Perinchief said Police were now taking a harder line on street pushers after ?slacking off?.

He added: ?I have noticed an immediate increase in action from the Police Support Unit, particularly in Court Street.

?Even though CCTV is up I have seen daily static patrols which dampens the affect of drug activities.

?They are starting to do that right across the Island.?

He credited the change to new Commissioner George Jackson, new Assistant Commissioner Bryan Bell and prompting from Cabinet.

Asked if the initiative would soon die off, Mr. Perinchief said: ?It is going to continue. The Police Commissioner is recruiting 30 new Police officers.?

And he said new efforts were being made on the docks which in the summer bring the vast majority of Bermuda?s drugs.

Customs staff have been put back on the gangplanks, replacing security guards, said Mr. Perinchief.

And he said Government was looking at buying a million dollar X-ray machine capable of X-raying consignments.

Mr. Perinchief said the high price would be worth paying given the millions of dollars of drugs flooding Bermuda?s shores.

Customs staff are also wise to unusual shipments, said Mr. Perinchief.

?If a container comes in for ?Joe Brown? and he has never had a container before and he doesn?t have a legitimate business then the chances are that container will be checked.?