Top brass suspects drug ring

[boulder]

ALMOST half of the 100 soldiers drug-tested after a raid on Darwin's Robertson Barracks in October tested positive for "party drugs" such as cannabis and amphetamines, army chief Peter Leahy told a parliamentary committee last night.

 

Lieutenant-General Leahy told the defence estimates committee hearing in Canberra he was concerned that an organised drug ring could have been operating out of the barracks, which houses 3000 personnel, before the extensive raids by civilian and military police.

 

The results of the drug tests were "disappointing" because drug abusers were putting the lives of their colleagues at risk.

 

"We're getting people in the defence force saying they don't like people who could put my life in jeopardy," he said.

 

"A lot of these things I understand are party drugs, and the soldiers go out and party on the weekend.

 

"I have no positive information that I can state in categorical terms, but I know our police and the Northern Territory police are looking at drug sales (on the base).

 

"We need to await further investigation ... but I suspect over the next few months we will see some of those issues start to come out."

 

The results follow a raid at Robertson on October 13 as part of a defence crackdown on illegal drugs ahead of the introduction of random drug testing from December 1.

 

Air force chief Angus Houston told the committee last night he would be one of the first to take a drug test when the defence force introduces random testing.

 

Air Marshal Houston's comments follow an incident at an RAAF base where 22 members of the elite Air Defence Guard have been placed on probation after admitting to using drugs such as cannabis, amphetamines and steroids.

 

http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/comm...255E421,00.html

[Luke Skywalker]

Air force chief Angus Houston told the committee last night he would be one of the first to take a drug test when the defence force introduces random testing.

 

Not too random if he knows he's going to be tested as well as when.... ::

[Black_one]

growing ganja in the tanks?