UBP MP Michael Dunkley has called for Police to be given greater resources after revealing he picked up the tab for a surveillance operation on employees later convicted of importing drugs.

Dunkley's Dairy staff Michael Madeiros and Steven Flood were jailed last month for plotting to import $2 million worth of cannabis.

Mr. Dunkley, who testified in the court case, said when Police approached him to set up an observation operation to monitor when the drugs arrived they said he had to supply the equipment.

Speaking during yesterday's budget debate on the Police service Mr. Dunkley said: "We supplied the TV, we hooked it up ourselves."

He said the Police could only supply an officer to monitor it.

The force was seriously under-equipped to fight the dealers said Mr. Dunkley.

"The scum of society who bring in drugs will use the latest technology, they will throw money at anyone who will help them."

Last year drug seizures went down but Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Randy Horton said this was due to earlier success in busting drug gangs.

Customs and Police seized more than 130 kilos of controlled drugs in 2004 ? down from the 225 in 2003 ? with a value of around $12.3 million.

The breakdown included 120 kilos of cannabis, over six kilos of cocaine, almost four kilos of cannabis resin as well as quantities of heroin (diamorphine), cocaine freebase (crack cocaine), cannabis resin, cannabis plants and methamphetamines.

More than 950 separate seizures of illegal drugs were made by law enforcement during the year with at least 650 at street level and the remaining 300 seizures between the airport, the courier services, cruise ships, docks, freight shed and General Post Office/mail facility.

Mr. Horton said: "The decline in seizures in 2004 can be attributed to effective enforcement at the ports of entry by HM Customs and the Police.

"Seizures made by HM Customs and Bermuda Police Service during 2002 and 2003 seriously disrupted the efforts of drug traffickers.

"Several illegal drug-conspiracy rings which targeted their drug importation efforts at Bermuda International Airport and the cruise ships have been seriously disrupted in the past two years. "Several individuals are now incarcerated or are awaiting trial as a result.

"The efforts made during 2002 and 2003 are believed to have led to a decline in seizures in 2004 as drug importers look to different methods to import illegal drugs into this country."But he said drug traffickers looked to exploit any means to import illegal drugs into Bermuda ? via plane passengers carrying drugs, air freight consignments, the cruise ships, courier facilities, the General Post Office, the Hamilton Docks and through the mail system.

He praised non-law enforcement staff who kept an eye out for the Police and customs.

One Police source told that mail and courier facilities were becoming more popular as a routes to import drugs with insiders primed to pick up consignments.

During his budget speech yesterday Mr. Horton said: "The people of this community, residents and visitors alike, may be assured that HM Customs and the Police remain vigilant to ensure that new trends, if identified, are acted upon as they work tirelessly to seize drug at the ports of entry before the drugs can hit our streets.

"The incidence of illegal drugs remains an insidious problem to almost every Government in the world.

"Ultimately, Police and HM customs efforts can only be enhanced by a reduction in demand and the community's willingness to help."

Mr. Horton said the Jamaican Visa regime ? introduced by in early 2003 ? had led to a dramatic decline in arrests of Jamaican nationals for importing drugs into Bermuda during the remainder of 2003 and throughout last year.