Police Commissioner Colin Coxall yesterday defended the top secret sting operation that has brought more than 20 alleged drug dealers before the courts.

Suggestions have been made that people facing charges in Magistrates' Court in connection with Operation Cleansweep are merely the "small fish'' in Bermuda's drug world.

But Mr. Coxall said: "It is important that the community understands that some of these drug supermarkets are earning huge amounts of money.

"It has been calculated by my officers and backed up by information gained by DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) undercover officers that individual drug sites are making $20,000 per day or in excess of $3 million a year.'' Operation Cleansweep, spearheaded by Scotland Yard's Det. Supt. Paul William Hoare, involved American undercover narcotics officers and videotaping of alleged deals.

It kicked into gear over three months ago but went public last Friday when 17 alleged drug dealers appeared in Magistrates' Court.

Mr. Coxall said the safety of the DEA agents involved in the operation was paramount which was why other Government and private agencies were not informed about the operation.

Westgate has been swamped by a flood of people arrested in the operation with some 29 people being remanded in custody so far. The Police anticipate further arrests.

"A very limited number of people on a very senior basis at Government level were consulted with prior to this operation because of the absolute priority of maintaining the safety of the DEA undercover officers who would have been placed in danger if the operation had leaked.'' Now that the operation had been made public -- which was necessary to openly present information to the courts -- the Police Service were in consultation with a number of agencies, both private and Government, he added.

Nearly all the drugs on the Island came into Bermuda from the US, continued Mr. Coxall.

An illicit drug price comparison between the US and Bermuda illustrates the profit made in the selling of drugs.

The same half gram or bag of cannabis that would sell for $2.50 in the US costs $25 in Bermuda.

A pound of cannabis will cost $2,500 in the US but once sold in single doses on the Island will collect $22,400.

Meanwhile, 11 milligram decks of heroin go for $10 in the US but $20 in Bermuda and O.5 grams of heroin will sell for $50 in the US, but can reach $600 on the Island.

A 0.5 gram wrap of cocaine sells for $125 in Bermuda but $30 in the US where the same rock of cocaine that would cost $50 on Island is worth $20.

And ounces of crack cocaine and cocaine cost $1,000 and $2,000 respectively in the US.

Commissioner defends Operation Cleansweep But once divided into 0.5 gram wraps, the same amounts sell for a total of $7,000 each in Bermuda.

"These drug dealers are making huge profits,'' stressed Mr. Coxall. "They are certainly not `little fish'. These are huge drug rackets and this should be understood by the community.'' The recent arrests of the alleged drug dealers "should make a significant impact on the problem'', he continued.

"Clearly there are other people involved in drug importation into Bermuda and it can be anticipated that we will be taking action against them.'' And Mr. Coxall denied that Operation Cleansweep's use in the future had been jeopardised by the public attention it was now getting.

He said he could not say at this stage whether it would be used on the same scale as it was now "but I would still deploy undercover officers in an operation backed up by the use of technology if I thought it was appropriate.'' A separate part of the overall strategy behind the operation was underway yesterday as areas around the Island received attention from landscapers.

At Ord Road in Warwick, members of the Parks Department's tree unit were out in force clearing away an area believed to be used by drug dealers.

And a derelict house in the same area -- near Lines Food and Liquor -- is set to be razed to the ground shortly, The Royal Gazette understands.

Mr. Coxall said he had urged his divisional officers to employ this tactic.

"I see the reduction of drug activity thus far achieved as an opportunity to clean up the areas where drug dealing was taking place. I believe this is the case in Ord Road and other areas.''