Information that led to the arrest of a senior container ship employee on a firearms offence surfaced during the recent gun amnesty.

"It was something Police followed up from intelligence gathered through the amnesty,'' Inspector Roseanda Jones said.

"That investigation was carried out by a special unit.'' The investigation culminated in the arrest and conviction of Peter Berned Focke, a chief engineer on the Somers Isle , who received a three-month jail sentence in Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to possession of a .357 magnum bullet.

Yesterday Opposition leader Mr. Frederick Wade applauded the sentence.

"I support it 100 percent,'' he said. "We support the whole idea that stiff sentences are justified in ridding the whole Island of guns.

"Those coming into the Island should be made aware that we have a strong policy against firearms.'' Minister of Labour and Homes Affairs, the Hon. Irving Pearman could not say whether Focke, who has previous drugs convictions in Bermuda, would be put on a stop-list after serving his sentence.

He added ship employees do not need a work permit to enter Bermuda.

Convictions for minor drug offences do not automatically mean a person is stop-listed, he said.

A container ship agent said no special security measures were likely to be taken against ship employees in light of the conviction.

"There are already in place very strict measures which have to be taken by all carriers in United States seas between US Customs and ourselves. Ship owners face very heavy fines for this kind of thing,'' said Mr. Robert Lewis, vice-president of Container Ship Management which manages the container ship, Oleander .

Mr. Henry Hayward, president of Meyer Agencies which represents the German-owned Somers Isle in Bermuda, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Collector of Customs, Mr. Gerry Ardis said officers will continue to work closely with local and overseas Police and Customs departments in gathering intelligence on firearms smugglers.

"I think we should take this very seriously indeed but not overreact. We must deal with it in a systematic way. I admit one gun is too many but we have seized a considerable number of firearms this year.'' Seven handguns, seven flare pistols, one spear gun, 40 tins of mace and 1,000 rounds of ammunition have been seized by Customs.