Police and Customs officers are heading for a record year of drug busts after so far seizing way in excess of last year's total - with two major hauls this month alone.

Narcotics chief, Police Superintendent Larry Smith said during the first six months of the year alone, Customs and Police officers confiscated $17 million worth of illegal substances.

That figure is close to the total for all of last year.

However, he said during this month there had been a major seizure of cannabis, which is believed to weigh more than 35 kilos.

And on Wednesday this week, four men were arrested after more than 300 kilos of cannabis was discovered at Hamilton docks, at the Number Eight cargo shed.

Until drugs from both hauls have been analysed, he said it would be difficult to put street values on them.

Yesterday, Mr. Smith said he expected the latest drug hauls to put the third quarter of the year way above the drug seizures for the first and second quarters combined.

Between January and March this year, some $5 million worth of drugs was seized, but that figure rose between April and June, when more than $12 million was confiscated, largely at ports of entry.

But the best news for the Customs and Police interdiction teams is the success they have had with the cruise ships so far this year.

Already they have made a number of finds, compared to just three drug seizures aboard the ships for the whole of the summer period in 2001.

However, Mr. Smith said he would not get complacent.

"Needless to say, the (cruise ship) season is only a few months old and we have four months left. We do not intend to rest on our laurels," said Mr. Smith.

"We have a number of major inquiries on-going with the cruise ships and Hamilton docks. These involve overseas investigations. So, at this time it's difficult to share with you any specifics.

"But yes, they are up tremendously."

The Police drugs chief said he believed the improved results have followed hard on the heels of a better working relationship between Customs and Police, and different methodology, which is more intelligence- led.

However, he said, from a Police perspective, he is leading the drug interdiction team this year and is having a hands-on approach, not only in gathering intelligence but also attending raids and rummages on board the ships.

But Mr. Smith said he feels he is also reaping results after empowering his own officers more and giving them greater ownership of the intelligence they receive.

He said officers now were more greatly motivated and were enjoying the extra responsibility and independence to enable them to do their job.

He added: "We try not to dictate the terms to our staff. We keep them within the confines of the law, but we allow them to be innovative."

And he also cited the support of the narcotics division from the Police Commissioner as having good effects.

Mr. Smith said cannabis, cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin still account for the majority of the drug finds in Bermuda.

But this year, cannabis is proving to be the most common find.

Whether that means people are deliberately choosing to use cannabis over other drugs, or Police have just been more successful with cannabis, he did not know.

Mr. Smith said there had been 37 major seizures this year so far, and 42 percent of those arrested had been Americans.

Bermudians accounted for 30 percent, Jamaicans 19 percent, and there had been one French, one Canadian and one from a Caribbean island.

And as for the relaxation of laws in Britain, where cannabis has been decriminalised, although still illegal, Mr. Smith said he had had some discussion with senior officers here as to what the knock-on effects will be, and they have came to a wait and see conclusion.