Julian Hall as part of their investigation into the local end of a vast Cuban cocaine trafficking ring, Supreme Court heard yesterday.

The officers were also interested in acquiring information about other people, including "Bermuda officials'', who the drug ring's "man in Bermuda'' had named during interviews.

This was the evidence of Casemates prisoner Dexter Dillas, called to testify in the trial of alleged drug smuggler Larry Ebbin. Dillas is serving 18 years for conspiring to import drugs to Bermuda.

Coming to the defence of his old roommate, Dillas said Ebbin did not know he was a "cocaine distributor''. He had tried to keep his drug dealings secret from Ebbin, he said.

Ebbin did not know from whom he bought cocaine, he said, adding his friend's only role in his dealings had been selling cocaine for him on "a few occasions''.

On Thursday, Ebbin had denied claims by prosecution witnesses that he bought several kilos of cocaine from Antonio Miranda, the Cuban drug empire's middleman. His lawyer Mr. Archie Warner suggested the crown's witnesses were offered "deals'' to give evidence to implicate Ebbin.

Mr. Warner yesterday asked Dillas if he had ever shared a cell with Miranda.

Dillas said he had and while they were alone they often chatted about finding "a way out''.

By that he meant finding a way of getting their lengthy sentences cut, he said. "We talked a lot about fabricating stories for Police so we could get a deal,'' Dillas said.

They also talked about American inmate Paul Seney, he said, who got convicted for running drugs into Bermuda for the Cubans.

Dillas said Seney was a "big problem'' to Miranda because he was going to testify against his "Cuban brothers'', Hugo Mata and Marcus Cojab.

Mata and Cojab headed the massive drug-smuggling ring and are facing the death penalty in New Jersey for an alleged murder, he told jurors.

"Miranda wanted to take him -- he wanted to kill him,'' Dillas said. Mr.

Warner asked Dillas if Police had ever visited him and Miranda in prison to get them to testify against Ebbin.

Dillas said Det. Sgt. Alex Arnfield had come to see them, but not only to ask them to give evidence.

He said the narcotics officer was after more information about people whom Miranda had named during his statements to Police following his May, 1990 arrest. He "specifically'' asked about Mr. Hall.

Dillas claimed Det. Sgt. Arnfield told him Ebbin was "nothing'' in the vast conspiracy. Also during the interview, Dillas said the detective told him he might be able to help him in his appeal if he were to testify.

Dillas added that the last thing Miranda said to him before it was his turn to be interviewed was, "Don't forget about out scheme.'' After the interview, Dillas said Miranda told him: "I'm going to bury your lawyer.'' Said Dillas: "He was referring to Julian Hall. He (Miranda) said he was not happy with the way they had handled things legally -- he felt they turned their backs on him.'' Under cross examination, crown counsel Mr. Diarmuid Doorly asked Dillas if he had committed a further drug offence while on bail.

Dillas admitted he had, saying Seney bought a "large'' cocaine shipment for him some three months after his May, 1990 arrest during a Police raid on his apartment.

Dillas told Mr. Doorly he decided to plead guilty in his retrial last October because he had learned a cellmate had secretly taped him telling inmates all about his dealings with the Cuban drug empire.

Mr. Doorly asked Dillas if he had mentioned the name Victor Alongi during the conversation. Dillas said he had not, adding he had never met Alongi -- and neither had Ebbin or their landlord Ted Ming.

Mr. Doorly then attempted to have the tape admitted as evidence so he could point out what he claimed were "inconsistencies'' in Dillas' testimony.

But Mr. Warner objected, saying the tapes contained a "whole host of information'' that was not relevant to his client's case and that Dillas did not "completely embrace''.

After hearing further submissions from counsel, Puisne Judge the Hon. Mrs.

Justice Wade ruled the tape was admissible. However, she ordered the sections that were not read out during Dillas' retrial be edited.

Ebbin, 35, has denied importing cocaine between May 11 and May 20 of 1990 and conspiring to import the drug between October, 1988 and May 17, 1990 with others not before the court.