ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Sources told Eyewitness News narcotics officers are being investigated for missing out on secret drug searches after they indulged in lunch-time cocktails in front of supervisors.

The new internal investigation could involve at least a half-dozen officers, including two sergeants. There could be a "pattern" of bad behavior; not too long ago there was a shake up in the sheriff's drug unit after officers lied and cases had to be dropped and jobs were lost over that one.

This investigation started just about a week ago and even officers who did not drink could be in trouble.

Narcotics officers train to deal with the most dangerous people, drug dealers who are often heavily-armed. Serving search warrants on the unsuspecting suspects could go very bad very quickly and turn into a gun fight.

They are situations that require clear heads. So, why would narcotics officers who were about to do a drug search order a liquid lunch in front of their two sergeants?

That's the allegation that the sheriff's internal affairs investigators are trying to get to the bottom of.

"We currently have an internal investigation, administrative review of the circumstances that have come to light. The sheriff's office takes any information we receive of this nature seriously," Capt. Angelo Nieves said.

It's against the sheriff's policy to drink alcohol while on duty and it's also a policy violation to look the other way when someone else is violating a policy. So, even the officers who were not drinking could be in trouble for not intervening or coming forward immediately about it.

The sheriff's office won't confirm the names Eyewitness News was given, but said that all the officers involved are still working their same assignments at this point. A source told Eyewitness News the officers involved did not end up joining the drug search they were planning to do after their liquid lunch.

An inside source told Eyewitness News it came to light during an unrelated investigation of one of the narcotics sergeants involved and missing evidence. The sheriff's office won't release any more details until the investigation is done.