Prison officers are set to be targeted in a bid to halt the flow of drugs behind bars.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Maxwell Burgess said that crooked Prison officers had been identified as a a possible source of drugs in jail.

He said: "They are on the list of people who have the opportunity to do it.'' Mr. Burgess added: "I wouldn't want to speculate -- but it will be something we will be looking at.'' But he said four possible entry routes for drugs into the prison system had been identified.

Prisoners on work release bringing drugs back in with them; Visitors slipping drugs to inmates on visits; Contractors delivering goods and service people and; Prison officers supplying prisoners with illegal substances.

Mr. Burgess added: "We will need to examine all of them with a view to clamping down on drugs.'' But Mr. Burgess stressed he had no evidence that Prison officers were involved in drug smuggling.

He was speaking as he and Premier Pamela Gordon unveiled the results of a top-level think-tank on crime held yesterday.

Politicians, Police, Prison officials and prosecutors got together for a brainstorming session designed to cut crime and make Bermuda a safer place.

Community groups and churches have also been drafted into what the Premier hopes will become a united front in the war against drugs and crime. Ms Gordon said: "There is some concern in the community that drugs are in prisons.

"We have looked at new drug detection equipment -- we will also be looking at how things come in and out of prisons.'' She added: "We did identify four ways drugs get into the prisons -- prisoners don't make drugs -- and a tightening-up there will happen.'' Commissioner of Prisons Ed Dyer was not available for comment yesterday.

But Deputy Commissioner Marvin Trott said he could not recall an officer being caught supplying drugs in his 20-years-plus service.

He added that Mr. Burgess' views were "a fair enough statement, but I can't really comment any further than that.'' He said: "Drugs have been identified as a serious problem -- it's certainly something we would want to see significantly diminished, if not eradicated.'' And Mr. Trott pledged the full cooperation of the Prison Service in any probe into drugs behind bars.

Last year, a 34-year-old Prison officer quit after he was searched when he arrived for work at the Prison Farm. No drugs were found, but a later search under warrant of his home turned up a marijuana cigarette and drug-related equipment.

The officer later pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court and fined a total of $350.

And in 1994, the service was up in arms after around 10 officers were lined up and searched by drugsbusters using sniffer dogs. Nothing was found.