Prison officers and inmates are being urged to call a confidential telephone hotline in a bid to crack down on drug dealing inside jails.

Edward Dyer, Bermuda's Prisons Commissioner, this week began a fresh inquiry into drug smuggling behind bars.

And he told The Royal Gazette some prison officers were suspected of supplying cocaine to convicts.

The inquiry followed Chief Justice Austin Ward's call for an investigation into allegations that crack cocaine was on sale inside Westgate Correctional Facility.

Mr. Dyer said searches had been stepped up and some prisoners and wardens had been questioned.

But he admitted that no new evidence had been found -- and appealed for more information about the prison's drug barons.

Now Mr. Dyer wants officers and inmates to contact him in confidence.

He said: "There is an invitation for anyone who has information to ring me and anything they report will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

"I do get information from both prison staff and prisoners. But now I need more evidence if we are to bring these drugs culprits to justice.

"I am available in my office on 295-4975. And if someone is unhappy talking on that line, I can give them a private number so we can talk in real confidence.

"Drugs are occasionally found in prisons and we have had one find within the last month.

"I know that drugs are a problem. And if someone can provide me with proof or help me catch dealers red-handed, very serious action will be taken.

"There have even been suggestions that prison staff have been involved but I still have no firm evidence of that.'' Prison officers would face the sack and criminal charges if they were caught dealing drugs in jail cells.

Inmates would face another trip to the Supreme Court and even longer sentences if they were caught pushing in prison.

Mr. Dyer added: "We have periodic searches and unannounced searches but the only way we could really stamp out drugs would be to refuse prison visits or search everybody coming into jails.

"We live in a civilised western society, so that is not a viable option.

That's why we need to hear from anybody who has relevant information about the drugs market in prisons.'' Mr. Justice Ward called for the inquiry after defendant Dwayne Robert Young claimed he became a crack addict at Westgate.

Young, jailed for two-and-a-half years for a series of cheque frauds, told his lawyer Kim Wilson he had information about prison drug dealers.

But Mr. Dyer said Young, 33, had not co-operated when quizzed by prison officials.

Miss Wilson said: "I will file a report to the authorities but only if my client wants me to proceed.

"However, that may require my client to divulge certain things and he may not be prepared to do that.''