Collector of Customs Mr. Gerry Ardis confirmed yesterday.

The move was recommended by the Cabinet committee appointed by the Premier last year to investigate growing complaints about strip searches at the airport.

In its report released last July, the committee recommended, among other things, better training for Customs officers carrying out searches and less Police involvement.

Up until May, searches at the Civil Air Terminal were mainly carried out by The Joint Importation Squad.

The 12-member squad, which was made up of Police Narcotics officers and Customs officers, drew much criticism for the manner in which it conducted searches.

Both Mr. Ardis and then-Police Commissioner Mr. Clive Donald supported the Cabinet report. And they agreed that they would like to see more Customs officers and fewer Policemen involved in drug interdiction at the airport.

It was also believed the move would free narcotics officers to work on the streets against drug dealers or to work on cruise ships, which are also used to import drugs.

Yesterday, Mr. Ardis said: "It is true that Customs since May have taken on the major function of inspection at the airport, but Police continue to work closely with us''.

He said he had not looked at whether the number of complaints about strip searches had changed since May, but he said drug detection has been going well.

Ongoing upgrading of Custom officers involved in questioning passengers and searches is another recommendation by the committee that has been acted upon, he said.

"That's not only been done locally, but externally,'' he said, adding that training and development officers will be arriving in Bermuda shortly to assist Customs in designing training programmes.

While he could not list which of the other 19 recommendations have been implemented, Mr. Ardis said yesterday he was certain the majority had been put into place.

Those suggestions included: The production of a manual setting out in full procedures for selection for search of passengers; The pursuing of the possibility of using X-ray equipment to reduce or replace strip searches; and An apology in all cases where a search has proved negative with the wording "carefully developed to express regret while at the same time reinforcing the vital importance of drug control in the Island''.