Cocaine with a street value of at least $11.7 million was discovered on one of the flights diverted to Bermuda last week amid the US terrorist attacks - bringing the total drug seizures for this year so far to more than four times that of 2000.

Bermuda Police Narcotics chief Superintendent Larry Smith spoke exclusively to The Royal Gazette last night and said the Island was on course for its most successful year yet in drug interdiction.

He revealed that a massive 60 kilos of cocaine was found by both Customs and Police officers at Bermuda International Airport on board a plane bound for Newark from Puerto Rico last Tuesday.

At the very least, and calculated at its lowest possible street value, the packages of coke would have fetched almost $12 million in Bermuda. However, if the drug is found to have a higher purity, that value will hugely increase.

It is believed to be the greatest-ever seizure made at the airport.

But, even with that aside, the drug seizure rate on the Island this year is up on previous years. Last year there was just more than $7 million worth intercepted.

Supt. Smith said: "Up to September 7 this year, both Customs and Police narcotics officers have made major drug seizures worth $17.8 million.

"But that figure will go up because figures for the third quarter of the year are not as accurate as we would like yet because we have been unable to get some of the weights and purity of some of the seizures confirmed from the analyst. Some have not been included in our estimates.

"I think we can safely say that we have certainly surpassed 2000 so far by more than double. But then on top of that, last week, during the influx of passengers diverted to Bermuda, HM Customs and Bermuda Police intercepted a large shipment, believed to be 60 kilos of cocaine, destined for the US."

He continued: "At its lowest value it could be worth about $11.7 million, but that could go up. We are now liasing with the US authorities and jurisdiction has been handed to them.

"So, adding those amounts together, we are just about at four times what we got for the whole of last year."

However, the drugs chief said he was not calculating in this year's haul the half a tonne of cocaine (585 kilos) found on board a yacht at the beginning of August. The yacht is believed to have entered the Island's waters over the Cup Match holiday on its way from the Caribbean to Spain after the boat ran into mechanical trouble and some of the crew found the drugs on board.

The boat and the drugs, thought to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, were handed over to British authorities, who are investigating.

In both that case and the one last week Bermuda Police are assisting authorities overseas.

During the first three months of this year alone, authorities at the airport seized more than $9 million of drugs.

By the end of April that amount had increased to about $13 million, with seizures continuing to be made over the summer at the airport.

However, in comparison, seizures on the cruise ships this year have been much slower.

Supt. Smith said his officers were ready for a change in trends at any time.

He added: "Customs and Police have really done an excellent job thus far and I want to commend both organisations.

"The co-operation between the two is improving daily. However, we know that we cannot rest on our laurels.

"We have had a relatively slow season this year with the cruise ships, but we are being very vigilant at the moment.

Supt. Smith continued: "Normally, towards the end of the cruise ship season there is a lot of stockpiling to get as many drugs as possible on the Island before the season comes to an end.

"We will be stepping up our vigilance even more now that we are approaching the end of the season on the cruise ships."

Supt. Smith said sometimes he had to "rob Peter to pay Paul" when it came to placing his staff at either the airport or the cruise ship terminals.

If a large haul is found at the airport it may take a team of officers out of the equation while investigations get underway, so officers from the dedicated cruise ship team may be temporarily drafted in to help out, or vice versa.

Once the cruise ship season comes to end in October, the emphasis will be mostly back at the airport.

He added: "We want people with information about drug interdiction to help us.

"Drugs are a vast money-making thing, almost like a machine. It is one of the quickest ways to make money universally, especially if heroin is involved.

Supt. Smith added: "If anyone does have information, we would urge them to contact us."

People can call Police on 295-0011, or Customs on 295-4816.