Police and Customs have seized a massive $40 million worth of drugs so far this year - but last night issued a warning over an ever-growing trend in the importation of illegal narcotics.

During the month of October alone, ten men and women were arrested at Bermuda International Airport after allegedly swallowing quantities of drugs in an attempt to smuggle them onto the Island.

And while that in itself is not new, the number of incidents is rising - and most of them are originating out of Jamaica, and specifically, Hanover.

Every single one of the alleged swallowers last month arrived from Jamaica, although only six were Jamaican. The other four were Dutch, Polish and British.

As a result, Bermuda Police narcotics chief, Superintendent Larry Smith, and senior Customs officers are to liaise further with their counterparts in Jamaica, as well as Jamaicans living on the Island, in a bid to stem the flow of drugs coming from the Caribbean.

Supt. Smith said: "Now the cruise ship season is over, we are finding that drug importation is returning, with some degree of consistency, to Bermuda International Airport, especially by people we term as swallowers.

"The disturbing trend is such that we have discovered a number of swallowers arriving onto the Island at one time.

"During October alone, we had a rush of ten people arrested at the airport with drugs (allegedly) smuggled in their stomachs.

"Obviously, swallowers arrive here from a number of different jurisdictions, but Jamaica is one of the jurisdictions that is causing us major concerns."

Supt. Smith said he aimed to talk to leaders of the Jamaican community on the Island in a bid to open dialogue and exchange opinions and information.

He said Police and Customs suspected that Jamaicans in Bermuda could be linked with some of the drugs coming into the Island from Jamaica.

"We are investigating now with the Jamaican authorities some of the information we have which connects the major players in Jamaica to those who are receiving here," said the chief narcotics officer.

"We suspect we know who is receiving here, and they are Jamaicans.

"With the necessary investigative tools and cooperation from the leaders of the Jamaican community in Bermuda, we can hopefully subsequently affect the arrest of the major players here on the Island and bring them before the courts."

Bermuda has seen a massive increase in its drugs haul this year, resulting in a 100 percent increase in the worth of seizures so far this year on the whole of last year.

More than $16 million of cannabis has been seized, almost $13 million of heroin, and $10 million of cocaine, with crack, resin and ecstasy also being confiscated.

As of yesterday, the total amount seized was $40.2 million, however, some of latest confiscations have not been analysed and added to the overall drug haul, yet.

Both Customs and Police said a better working relationship between the two had paid off, but they have also boasted a different methodology in detection this year, along with a deeper commitment to the task at hand.

The interdiction teams have worked seven days a week and carried out a greater number of rummages and observations than in previous years.

The two agencies made 81 seizures on the cruise ships alone, up from a meagre three seizures during the 2001 season.

But Supt. Smith said now the cruise ship season was over, he expected the number of people trying to import drugs at the airport to increase, and therefore said incoming passengers would be rigorously checked.

However, he also said the street enforcement teams had also been enhanced.

"I think swallowing is perhaps the most dangerous way of smuggling drugs, when you think of the major risk attached should one of the pellets erupt in the system," added Supt. Smith.

"But I also think that some people consider it one of the easier methods of avoiding detection. But it's through targeting and intelligence, along with watching for the signs in human behaviour and gut instinct on our part, that gives us results.

"We are warning folks that as this problem persists, we are serving notice that there are going to be extra checks and the possibility of extra personnel at the airport to check arriving flights.

"There may be greater in-depth investigations into people's travel history. It may create an inconvenience, but the problem is serious and both Customs and Police have already surpassed the $40 million mark this year."

Supt. Smith said the theory was that just about ten percent of drugs were seized as they entered any country, and that made frightening statistics for the Island.

"If we only seize ten percent of drugs that are arriving here, then we have a serious problem," said the chief.

"That means that about $400 million worth of drugs are destined for this country, and once they arrive they do not leave again, as they do in some countries. Even if we have seized 20 percent this year, that is still a lot that we are not getting.

"That means that this country has a major problem, and that should cause a lot of concern to this country."

President of the Jamaica Association of Bermuda Ralston Wright said last night that the executive had held an emergency meeting at the weekend in light of the latest reports in the local media concerning Jamaica, and another one was planned for this coming weekend.

Therefore, he said, a full statement would not be forthcoming until next week.

However, he added: "We are concerned about the amount of drugs coming into Bermuda from all over the world, as well as from Jamaica.

"Of course, we are law abiding citizens and we are willing to accommodate the Police in what ever shape or form we can. Where we can help, we will.

"Right now, it's a very sensitive issue and we have been approaching it with positive intentions."