Information from Bermuda Crimestoppers has helped net more than $8 million in drug seizures, regional coordinator Alex MacDonald has revealed.

And Mr. MacDonald said the service, which fields confidential calls from the public, had gathered information which helped recover more than $1,350,000 of property in the five years it's been running. More than 3,000 calls have been taken and nearly $20,000 paid out in rewards.

He said: "That's a huge improvement over its predecessor - the old Police Code-a-phone which, I am told, produced less than one call a month."

He told delegates at the reserve police conference at the Sonesta Beach Hotel last week that people were often reluctant to give information out of fear and apathy, adding: "Our Crime Stoppers programme attempts to overcome these two barriers by guaranteeing anonymity and by paying rewards."

He said Crimestoppers calls were answered in Miami by trained Police liaison officers experience in handling such information.

"We absolutely guarantee two things. Calls cannot be traced, will not ask the tipster's name or make any attempt to identify them."

Each call is logged and a code number assigned to the caller before being passed on to the police.

Tipsters who want a reward are asked to call back a few days later with their code number. They are told the result of their tips and then a reward is discussed.

Mr. MacDonald said: "A pleasant surprise is that the majority of callers are not interested in the reward. They are primarily interested in seeing justice is done."

Callers include:

casual observers keen not to get involved with the Police or who are afraid of retaliation

people on the fringe of the crime including neighbours, business associates, friends with a conscience

battered wives/girlfriends or other family members including parents who cannot control their children

other criminals who either hold a grudge or want to clear their turf.

The Crimestoppers hotline is 1-800-623-8477.