counts of "serious breaches of conduct'' before controversy erupted over the trial of an alleged drugs baron, it has been revealed.

The news came as Police attempted to restore public faith in the Police service after Ellsworth Wilson was acquitted on charges of possessing and handling more than $50,000 worth of heroin and having the drug with intent to supply in February last year.

Mr. Wilson walked free from Supreme Court after Puisne Judge Norma Wade directed the jury to return formal not guilty verdicts on all the charges.

Mrs. Justice Wade ruled that continuity of evidence against Mr. Wilson had not been maintained -- and branded Police handling of the case "the most reprehensible conduct'' she had ever seen and added that it "brought the entire Police force into disrepute.'' The trial judge also praised the whistleblower, Det. Con. Lendrea Davis, for showing "tremendous courage'' in the face of severe pressure.

In a trial dogged by controversy and allegations of Police bungling, then-drugs squad Det. Cons. Davis -- who resigned from the force last Wednesday -- claimed she had been urged by other officers to change her witness statement so it was consistent with those of other officers, including the senior investigating officer in the Wilson case, Det. Con. Rudolph Richardson.

A statement by Police issued at the weekend said Ms Davis was the subject of two separate internal investigations on unrelated allegations of serious breaches of conduct.

A spokeswoman for the Bermuda Police yesterday refused to comment on the nature of the allegations -- but it understood that one involved a drug-related matter.

The spokeswoman confirmed that the two probes had ceased after Ms Davis resigned from the force.

She added, however: "If she was still in the service, she would still be under investigation.'' The Wilson jury heard a secretly-taped conversation between Ms Davis -- the officer responsible for recording events surrounding the Wilson arrest -- and Det. Con. Richardson.

Ms Davis said she refused to change her record of events -- and said one of the pages of her statement had a false signature.

The weekend Police statement said: "Police were well aware of the content of the tapes and in fact made a full disclosure of such, which included a complete file of the criminal investigation, the tapes and transcripts, to the Wilson defence team and as such knew that an internal investigation was warranted.

"Acting on advice from the Attorney General, however, Police were advised against proceeding with any disciplinary inquiry into allegations made either against the senior investigating officer or former Det. Con. Leandra Davis... pending the completion of the Wilson trial so that the outcome would not be prejudiced.

"A criminal investigation, however, into the allegations made against the senior investigating officer by former Det. Con. Davis was allowed, proceeded -- while the Wilson case was adjourned -- and was judged by the Attorney General as lacking sufficient evidence to press criminal charges.'' Deputy Police Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay announced on Thursday that another internal probe into Det. Con. Richardson's conduct will be held -- and the results made public.

But the lawyers acting for Ms Davis -- Delroy Duncan and Juan Woolfe -- demanded an independent inquiry carried out by outsiders.

And earlier, Tim Marshall, defence lawyer in the Wilson case, called for a commission of inquiry into Police procedures.