woman said to have smuggled cocaine into Bermuda for an international drug ring.

The Asbury Park Press this month became embroiled in a legal battle with a US Federal court in an attempt to force the disclosure of what it believes is a guilty plea by the man accused of ordering the slaying of Miss Deborah Owens, 37.

Ms Owens' body was found in a vacant lot in a New Jersey suburb in August 1990. She had been shot five times.

Marcus Cojab, 27, who headed the Miami-based drug empire she was said to have worked for, was charged with her murder.

It is believed the 27-year-old Cuban ordered the "hit'' after she botched a drug run to the Island. She had also threatened to expose the operation and cooperate with Bermuda authorities in the prosecution of its members.

Cojab's name surfaced in Bermuda recently during the drug trials of Dexter Dillas and Mr. Larry Ebbin, who were accused of importing cocaine through Cojab's massive drug ring.

Mr. Ebbin was acquitted of all charges. Dillas, however, pleaded guilty after learning a cellmate had secretly taped him bragging of his dealings with Cojab.

Dillas said he was "striking'' Ms Owens and that she was going to testify against the drug ring.

It was the Crown's case that Ms Owens was pregnant with Dillas' child when she was gunned down.

During Mr. Ebbin's trial, Dillas denied ever knowing her and also denied it was his voice on the tape -- despite his earlier plea.

Cojab, who has not yet entered a plea, would face the death penalty if convicted because authorities did not know for sure who fired the shots that killed Ms Owens.

But the US Federal Government took over the case from state prosecutors late last year, moving it to the Southern District of New York, thus sparing him the death penalty.

New Jersey and Miami authorities believe Ms Owens' own brother killed her. But they cannot find him and believe he is dead.

They obtained statements from senior drug ring-member Pedro Ruiz saying he travelled with a Harry Owens to New Jersey and that he came back to their motel one night shouting that they had to leave. Ruiz is quoted as telling Police: "He told me he shot his sister. That really got to me. How can a person shoot his sister?'' The assistant US Attorney dealing with the case declined to say why the federal government superseded and moved the case.

But it is believed Cojab may be wanted to testify in a trial outside of New Jersey.

Meanwhile, a New Jersey state judge has blasted federal authorities for their handling of the case.

The newspaper reported he vented his frustration that "nobody seems to know what's going on''.

The take-over agreement was on condition the state be notified by federal authorities of any plea Cojab's enters, the newspaper said. There has been no such notification.

But the newspaper said the judge, after hearing that a plea may have been entered on February 2 in federal court and sealed at the request of the US Attorney's Office, angrily went ahead and set the case down for trial on May 25.

The newspaper, believing a guilty plea was entered by Cojab, immediately filed suit in an attempt to unseal the records. A federal judge last week ruled against the Asbury Park Press and refused to unseal the records. The newspaper plans to appeal the ruling, it said yesterday.