By Jorge Quiroga

Westwood, MA (WCVB/CNN) - It's a legal nightmare.

Public Health Authorities in Massachusetts are beginning to unravel the alleged mishandling of tens of thousands of drug samples at the state lab.

And thousands of criminal convictions could now be in jeopardy.

Two supervisors were fired Thursday and more people may lose their jobs.

At Julie Nassif's Westwood home WCVB-TV found cars in the driveway and heard people inside, but nobody was answering the door.

Nassif, Director of the Chemistry Division at the State Lab, was making $88,000 per year and was fired.

"My review has found a lack of close supervision, outdated operating procedures, lack of any external oversight," said Dr. Judy Ann Bigby, Health and Human Services Secretary.

Dr. Han, Director of the lab who earned $134,000 per year, was allowed to resign.

At the center of the scandal is Annie Dookan, the chemist suspected of botching up to 60,000 drug samples, affecting 34,000 court cases.

"You have to look at, not only cases where this individual was the analyst directly, but she was also a secondary analyst on other drug cases," said Randy Chapman, defense attorney.

State police shuttered the lab at the end of August after two chemists raised questions about Dookan's work.

"They were concerned that she had not always followed established protocols and they did not want to testify to the validity of her work," said Col. Timothy Alben with State Police.

Prosecutors accuse her of mixing drugs from unrelated cases and manipulating test results. Years of criminal drug cases are now under review.

"It's going to require a lot of resources, of literally going through folder-by-folder. You know, first we have to identify who these folks are," said Mary Beth Heffernan, Public Safety Secretary.

Disciplinary proceedings have begun against a third lab supervisor.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services says what went on at the lab was not just sloppy work it could also be criminal.

WCVB/CNN