18 drug sailors held on warship

EIGHTEEN crewmen on a Royal Navy warship have tested positive for class A drugs.
The bust, the biggest in Navy history, is believed to have been for cocaine.

It took place on HMS Liverpool — which has been guarding the Falkland Islands — after crew had a “run ashore” during a break in Brazil.

The 18 are expected to be removed from the ship, flown back to Britain and kicked out of the Navy. The bust has horrified top brass.

A senior Royal Navy source said: “The worst aspect of this scandal is that HMS Liverpool is supposed to be guarding the Falkland Islands and such a large drugs bust hardly does wonders “The idea of a coked-up rating on board a warship with access to such powerful weapons does not bear thinking about. This is a total embarrassment for the senior service.”


The Type 42 destroyer is nearing the end of a six-month deployment in the South Atlantic.

Test
A compulsory drugs test was ordered after the crew — which totals 240 — had a “run ashore” on a break in the port of Santos, Brazil.

It is expected that the 18 ratings will be replaced — by other personnel who will be flown out at huge cost to taxpayers.

Ironically HMS Liverpool, armed with guided missiles and a 4.5inch gun, has seized drugs worth millions of pounds on patrols in the Caribbean.

Last night a senior Navy officer said: “Notwithstanding the numbers involved in this single unprecedented incident, which is being treated very seriously, it hasn’t affected the ship’s ability to do its job.” The Navy has kept a presence in the South Atlantic since the Falklands War in 1982 when 247 British servicemen died winning back the islands from invading Argentines.

The bust comes after five soldiers from the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery got the boot for taking cocaine — and eight from the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers tested positive for cannabis and coke.

Mike Critchley of Warship World magazine said: “The opportunity for a run ashore in Brazil would be a great treat. Someone doubtlessly offered crew members drugs and they fell to temptation.”

The Ministry of Defence said: “Action is being taken against the individuals involved. We will continue to root out the few bad apples that let the rest down.”