A chartered boat captain could be taking legal action against Customs officials because he claims they drilled holes in his new fishing boat.

Curtis Dawson, 49, from Spanish Point, had the boat shipped in after ordering it from a manufacturer in Virginia, USA, several months ago.

But when he went to pick the boat up from Hamilton Docks earlier this week he found that six holes had been drilled into the boat floor, making it unseaworthy.

Mr. Dawson -- an outspoken advocate for the legalisation of marijuana -- believes Customs officers or Police drilled the boat to make sure that drugs weren't being smuggled aboard.

But Customs officers have denied that they tampered with the vessel - leaving Mr. Dawson with a $500 repair bill.

"There is a possibility that Customs officers in America did this but it only makes sense that it was done once the boat arrived in Bermuda,'' a furious Mr.

Dawson said.

Boat captain threatens to sue "I have been told that Customs officers here don't damage property but I know that's not true. I know of someone else who brought a boat in from the States last year and the same thing happened to them.

"I can understand Customs having to check things over and they have to stop drug trafficking. But what they should do is say `okay, go and get the boat repaired and send us the bill'.

"But nobody on this Island seems to want to take responsibility. The major problem that this Island has is that nobody has any shoulders. If something goes wrong then the immediate reaction is `well it's not my fault'.

"I'm now faced with this bill and I think the only option I have is to take these people to court. I'm not going to let this go.

"It would be easy for them to just take some fingerprints and then they can find out who did it. All Customs officers have to have their fingerprints taken.'' Last night the Island's acting chief Customs officer denied that the holes appeared in the boat after it had arrived in Bermuda.

Acting Collector of Customs Winnie Fostine-DeSilva said: "Our officers hadn't even examined the boat when Mr. Dawson came to collect it.'' "I am not at liberty to say whether it was checked in America before it left but there is mildew in the holes which implies that it was done some time ago.

"We do have a policy whereby if we damage any property then we will replace it but in this case we are not guilty.'' Mr. Dawson remains unconvinced by Mrs. Fostine-DeSilva's reply.

"I'm definitely going to be suing somebody for the damage to my boat,'' he said.

"Somebody should be accountable. It doesn't make any sense for US Customs to drill the holes -- they're not bothered about things being smuggled out of the country.''