More safeguards need to be put into place to better monitor the Island’s border controls, according to Shadow National Security Minister Michael Dunkley.Mr Dunkley said there were “overwhelming” temptations for people working in the customs area; some of whom were willing to break the laws and “spare no expense” to smuggle drugs and weapons into the Island.He spoke following news that authorities in the US and Bermuda had joined forces to successfully crush a drugs smuggling operation on Wednesday.A Police spokesman said three men were arrested in the Shelly Bay, Hamilton Parish area that afternoon for allegedly importing a significant quantity of controlled drugs into the Island from Philadelphia.The arrests were the result of a prolonged investigative effort with partner agencies in the United States, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration.At the time of the arrests, a number of evidential items were seized, including a substantial sum of cash, said the Police spokesman.The US Consulate said the agencies “successfully dismantled an organisation” trying to use a US Airways commercial aircraft to smuggle narcotics into the Island via Philadelphia International Airport.Their investigation identified corrupt current and former airport/airline employees in the US and Bermuda who used their positions to try and out-smart airport security and federal inspection procedures, according to a consulate spokesman.Mr Dunkley said he was pleased and supportive to hear of these efforts, but said he has long been an advocate for more safeguards in border control departments.“It’s something I have talked about on a number of occasions. Anytime you are in these types of areas where you have people who are really looking to take any opportunity to bend any rules either to import drugs or guns we know the stakes are high and the monetary resources are high as well obviously you have a higher degree of corruption.“We need to look at the type of accountability we have in service with police, customs and border patrol areas. On a continuum basis we need to put in legislation and policy to allow for these types of departments to be audited.”The Island needs to stress there is no tolerance for corruption and deception in any of these border patrol areas, including cruise ships which we need to “pay very close attention to,” he said.“I believe there is very little control or legislation policy at the present time to stay on top of this type of stuff. It’s long past time we look at it.”While Mr Dunkley admitted the initial details have been “sketchy”, he said he expected in the long run more information would come out regarding what took place and whether it was a long standing operation they busted or something relatively new they stumbled upon.“There are not many ways people can bring illegal stuff into the Island and we need to monitor our borders as best as we can because people will do what do what they can and attack the weakest link in our security.”The Royal Gazette tried to reach the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for more details on the drug bust.Public Affairs Officer Harold Ort said: “As with any other law enforcement agency, ICE does not discuss investigative specifics. There are no further releasable details at this time.”