Shadow law and order minister Alex Scott has repeated his claim that the ruling United Bermuda Party is "too close'' to organised crime.

He claims gangland bosses and drug barons can hide behind unspoken links with the UBP's business backers and top supporters.

He said UBP members and associates would only be "unwittingly'' involved in drug trafficking into Bermuda because of their business and finance ties.

But Mr. Scott insisted a Progressive Labour Party Government would be better poised to weed out the Mr. Bigs of drugs and crime -- because PLP supporters do not own the yachts and containers which ferry narcotics into the Island.

He also promised a PLP Government would tighten up Customs procedures, while claiming the UBP's hands were tied to go after big-time gangsters.

Mr. Scott added last night: "I have first-hand experience of members of the business community who are capable of calling into Customs and having the containers cleared just by virtue of a telephone call.

"Meanwhile, there are also personal inspections being made of individuals coming through the airport.

"If we were to inspect our containers the same way we inspect various individuals we would have a much higher success rate in cutting out the drugs supply.

"Most of the drugs come in by sea. The PLP doesn't run boats in and out of the Island. PLP members don't own boats. They don't own yachts. They don't have containers coming into the Island.

"Anecdotally, it points the finger to some network of trafficking drugs which the UBP is unwittingly involved in.'' Collector of Customs William LeDrew said: "Any shipment is cleared upon the presentation of a Customs bill of entry.

"The decision to examine a shipment is based on a number of factors. We obviously don't examine every container just like we don't examine every traveller or parcel of mail that comes in.'' Chamber of Commerce President Michael Smith rang The Royal Gazette to complain about Mr. Scott's initial comments in yesterday's newspaper.

UBP `too close' to crime Mr. Scott, the Shadow Home Affairs Minister, had said UBP supporters "may be inadvertently caught up in the trade or trafficking of drugs, without them even knowing it''.

He also said the PLP was in a better position to bust traffickers because party members did not sit on the boards of container lines, banks and deposit companies, where drugs money can be laundered.

Home Affairs Minister Maxwell Burgess hit back in yesterday's Royal Gazette , accusing Mr, Scott of showing a "disdain and a hatred'' for the work of the Bermuda Police Service to smash drug rings.

And an incensed Mr. Smith said he was "astounded by the suggestion'' that there was any link between financial service companies and money laundering.

The top business figure added: "The suggestion that the UBP is too close to the trade...the suggestion that there is a degree of money laundering going on is absolutely outrageous.

"Mr. Scott is obviously unaware that long in advance of the recent money laundering legislation, the banks and deposit companies had a self-imposed code of conduct in respect of money laundering.

"That is being rigidly reinforced and has been for a number of years.

"All the financial institutions are extremely vigilant in terms of money laundering both inside Bermuda and externally. The mere suggestion that there is any kind of money laundering going on, we find personally offensive.'' Mr. Smith said banks, deposit companies and firms operating out of Bermuda's container docks were all publicly owned.

"The one deposit company which is the exception is Gibbons Company,'' he added, acknowledging that the firm was owned by the family of Finance Minister Grant Gibbons.

"But the vigilance is doubled on behalf of the UBP because of those links.''