Shocked residents reacted in disbelief at Police Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay's claim of parents using their children to peddle drugs, when contacted yesterday by The Royal Gazette .

Residents of Pembroke West spoke out about the claims revealed in yesterday's paper and said it was difficult for them to imagine that something as sinister as children pushing drugs for their parents could happen in Bermuda.

However residents agreed that, although it may be the case in some areas of the Island, it was not something that was seen in their area.

In fact, area residents insisted that, regardless of how the drugs were being peddled, the Police needed to take a more active stance in snuffing out the drug trade and drug dealers in the Pembroke West area.

One resident, who declined to be named because of safety concerns, said: "Everything happens on this corner out here at Admiralty House.

"The children come home from school, so you think they would move their operation somewhere else,'' she said.

"It's really annoying. We have fights pretty often with them and we feel threatened and worried. .. you don't know what they can do to you.

"I'm behind the Police 100 percent, but they need to get more serious with these drug dealers.

"They (the Police) were doing something for a little while, but summertime is coming and these boys will be back on the wall selling their drugs.' Long time resident Delores Simmons added that drug peddling in her neighbourhood was a concern for her and noted that the area's drug peddlers were not regular faces.

"It bothers us, but what can you do?'' she asked. "A lot of these boys don't live around here, they come from other areas of the Island and cause a disturbance.'' She added: "I can't believe that parents would make their children sell drugs, but with drug dealers anything is possible.'' However some residents said they were aware of drug peddling children, but insisted that it was something that rarely happened in their neighbourhood.

"It's only one guy around (Spanish) Point whose old man can put them up to it,'' said Billy Jones, area resident.

Mr. Jones noted that some of the neighbourhood's residents, including himself, were unfairly harassed by Police under the suspicion of peddling drugs.

"It ain't no drug trade around here,'' he said. "There have been some dealings in this area and at times there have been clashes with the residents, but I tell the guys it's better to move to the park (Admiralty House Park) where it's open space away from the street.'' He pointed out that the Police needed to target other areas on the Island.

"Around Court Street you can get five or ten guys at a time come up to you and try to sell you drugs, in broad daylight.

"You could sit with us all day, and no one comes around and asks for drugs.

The Police harass us every day. They need to go to where the drugs are.'' However Mr. Jones admitted that whatever efforts the Police made, it would not ease the scourge of drugs that was infesting the Island.

"Everyone knows there is a problem,'' he said. "You see it every day. But you can do a clean sweep of the entire Island and someone else will come right along the next day and pick up the trade again.''