Army raid catches drug soldiers

The men tested positive for a range of drugs including cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.

The soldiers were all from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, based at Glencorse near Penicuik.

Their commanding officer said he was disappointed they had not lived up to the Army's values and standards.

Lt Col Paul Harkness said there was no place in the Army for those who take drugs.

But he said those who had been caught must not be allowed to blacken the good name of the battalion and the vast majority of its soldiers who do not take drugs.

"These individuals must not be allowed to blacken the good name of this battalion and the vast majority of its soldiers who do not take drugs"
Lt Col Paul Harkness

He said: "The Army policy on illegal drugs is quite clear - they are incompatible with military service and will not be tolerated.

"Whilst I am naturally disappointed with this small minority who have failed to live up to our values and standards, I am pleased they have been caught as a result of the Army's rigorous testing procedure."

All the soldiers tested were led into the gym company by company and escorted to the toilet to give their urine sample.

Lt Col Harkness said the future job prospects of the soldiers sacked would also be affected as the Army was duty bound to inform the DVLA and potential employers that they had been discharged for drug use.

He added: "These individuals must not be allowed to blacken the good name of this battalion and the vast majority of its soldiers who do not take drugs.

"I would rather be undermanned by 20 men than have a full complement that includes drug users."

Automatic discharge

The Royal Highland Fusiliers were last compulsory drug tested in June 2006, when only one sample came back positive.

But the MoD stressed that statistics underline drug misuse is less prevalent among service personnel than among civilians.

Positive rates in the Army over the last four years averaged around 0.7%, compared with more than 5% in civilian workplace drug testing programmes in the UK, according to a spokesman.

The soldiers were caught earlier this year when the barracks was sealed off and drug testing carried out company by company.

It is understood one soldier is facing an automatic discharge because he tested positive on a previous occasion, while the remainder are fighting to save their careers.

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