The prospect of further arrests in the Miami drugs crisis has hardened, The Royal Gazette can reveal today.

Police suspicions of local involvement have grown after their investigation in Miami.

And now the inquiry seems likely to be more concentrated in Bermuda.

Yesterday Police spokeswoman Insp. Roseanda Jones revealed: "There is every possibility there could be others involved.'' The seven Under-23 players -- Meshach Wade, Donnie Charles, Kevin Jennings, Herbert Dillas, Shawn Riley, Keishon Smith and Tokia Russell -- were arrested last Friday in Miami and charged with importing and possessing marijuana.

Bermuda Police dispatched a team of officers -- headed by Chief Insp. Winston Esdaille -- to Miami the next day.

The officers returned on Wednesday evening after interviewing the seven players.

Insp. Jones said the investigation was by no means complete.

"We are continuing to keep close liaison with Dade County Police and United States Customs officials.

"We have not ruled out the possibility that aside from those arrested other persons locally could be involved in this inquiry.'' Local lawyers have told The Royal Gazette the Police probe is likely to focus on a possible conspiracy to import marijuana to Bermuda.

There were two possible breaches of Bermuda's Misuse of Drugs Act, they said.

Insp. Jones also touched on a scathing attack on the Bermuda Police by the players' lawyer Mr. H.T. Smith, president of the National Bar Association in America.

Mr. Smith had accused the Police officers of being "disruptive'', and being less than courteous.

And in a bid to thwart them he moved his clients to another detention centre, so they could not be interviewed.

Insp. Jones, however, said Chief Insp. Esdaille and his team remained fully aware of where the players were being detained.

It is not the first time Bermudian soccer players have been caught up in controversy overseas.

Ten years ago six members of the Island's national youth soccer squad were caught smoking pot during their CONCACAF Youth Championship tour.

The six, whose names were not revealed by the BFA, were found in possession of marijuana in an hotel room in Atlanta where the squad was staying en route to Tobago for the championships.

The players were believed to have been caught by assistant team manager Mr.

Clarke Raynor during a room check following the squad's 12.30 a.m. curfew.

Team coach Mr. Rick Richardson later said the players had been disciplined.

Also, in 1983 the national soccer squad was accused of behaving like hooligans on a flight from New York after playing against the Bahamas.

One passenger claimed members of the squad carried "suitcase-sized cassette players'' with the volume turned up high.

National soccer coach Mr. Carlton (Pepe) Dill, however, hit back, describing a Press report on the allegations as "off key''.

Chief Insp. Winston Esdaille