Police he was lawyer Julian Hall MP's "business partner'' after his apartment was raided in May 1990, a Supreme Court jury heard yesterday.

Narcotics officer Det. Sgt. Alex Arnfield testified that Cuban-American Antonio Miranda, serving 20 years at Casemates Prison, made the claim in explaining what he was doing in Bermuda.

But the Policeman rejected defence allegations that a former narcotics officer tried to sell information to defence lawyers of Police wrongdoing during a series of drug investigations.

The revelations came on the eighth day of the trial of alleged drug dealer Larry Ebbin.

Det. Sgt. Arnfield, who headed the drugs investigation into Ebbin, Antonio Miranda, Dexter Dillas, Ted Ming and Colin Smith, was giving evidence on how the Cuban drug smuggling ring had been cracked by Bermuda Police officers.

He said Police apprehended self-confessed drug courier Angela Trapasso on board the Royal Viking Star just as gang planks were being pulled up in May, 1990.

Miranda was then followed by undercover Police to a hotel where he had met Trapasso and was arrested at his McGall's Hill, Smith's Parish apartment where $89,000 in cash and 13 ounces of cocaine were found.

Miranda told Police he was here on business and that Mr. Hall was his "Bermudian business partner'', Det. Sgt. Arnfield said.

Officers then went to entertainer Ming's Lighthouse Hill, Southampton home, "Fiddlewoods'', acting on information received, Det. Sgt. Arnfield said.

Det. Sgt. Arnfield said he banged on the door of the lower apartment three times, saying "Police open up!'' when asked who it was.

No-one opened the door so Det. Sgt. Arnfield said he was forced to break the door down, breaking three deadlocks.

Upon entering he saw Dillas, running to the rear of the apartment. And Ebbin had apparently wet his pants, he said.

Det. Sgt. Arnfield said he chased Dillas to the bathroom where he saw the toilet had just been flushed leaving behind a white-powder residue.

He then went to the kitchen and saw what appeared to be a trapdoor with stairs leading up to Ming's house. He followed the stairs up, he said, and saw that officers had Smith, and Ming's wife in custody while they searched the home.

Det. Sgt. Arnfield said he then went to "Windy Cottage'', Colin Smith's apartment and executed a search warrant.

He found keys to Dillas' and Ebbin's apartment, Mr. Hall's business card, a small spoon and documents with Miranda's name on them.

In cross-examination, defence lawyer Mr. Archie Warner asked Det. Sgt.

Arnfield if he was aware that a former narcotics officer, Philip Swift, had tried to sell information to defence lawyers.

"Are you aware that former Detective Constable Philip Swift has been attempting to sell information regarding this case and other cases that he dealt with -- such information that alleges improprieties done by he and other people?,'' Mr. Warner asked.

"I know nothing about any sale of information,'' said Det. Sgt. Arnfield.

Mr. Warner fired back: "I suggest to you that is exactly the case.'' The lawyer then put it to Det. Sgt. Arnfield that narcotics officers used bogus search warrants in their investigation of his client.

He suggested that Swift had told him the officers carried typewriters around in their cars, and, whenever needed, simply filled in search warrants already signed by justices of the peace.

"That's absolute nonsense -- for what purpose?'' Det. Sgt. Arnfield responded.

The lawyer then asked Det. Sgt. Arnfield whether Swift had been asked to come to Bermuda to testify in the trial.

He also asked whether Swift, who now lives in England, had been fired or asked to resign from the Force.

Det. Sgt. Arnfield said Swift had told him he was too busy with his new job to fly to Bermuda for the trial and he insisted the ex-Policeman had resigned from the Force on his own accord.

Jurors have heard in the eight days of testimony so far that, as the manager of the local end of a vast Cuban drug smuggling ring, Miranda distributed some 11 kilos of cocaine to several local dealers during his six-month stay in Bermuda. He testified he distributed half that amount to Ebbin.

Ebbin has denied importing cocaine between May 11 and May 20, 1990 and conspiring to import the drug between October, 1988 and May 17, 1990.

He was jailed for 20 years with Ming, Dillas and Smith. Ming and Smith were freed on appeal. Retrials were ordered for Dillas and Ebbin.