The sailors tested positive for illegal substances between October 2007 and July 2011, British media reported.
The Royal Navy sacked 29 sailors between October 2010 and September 2011 for a variety of offences, including taking cocaine and ecstasy.
The number included two female ratings aged 22 and 23, who both tested positive for cocaine on HMS Ark Royal on March 7 last year, according to the report.
The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, also reveal a male Leading Seaman, 26, tested positive for cocaine on HMS Westminster, the report said.
He failed his random test on May 31, just weeks after the ship returned home to Portsmouth from operations off the coast of Libya.
The exception was a male rating, 23, who was sacked after testing positive for the steroid nandrolone aboard frigate HMS Cumberland in Abu Dhabi.
“We have a robust anti-drugs policy and will not tolerate misuse of drugs by personnel in any form”, said a navy spokesman.
“We maintain a comprehensive programme of compulsory random drugs testing to ensure maximum deterrence”, added the spokesman.
“All navy service personnel, wherever they are serving – ship, shore establishment or on operations – are liable for random compulsory drug testing”, he said, adding that “administrative discharge is the normal consequence of a positive test”.
From October 2010 to July 2011, 29 sailors failed tests – 16 of which were positive for cocaine and 12 for cannabis. All 29 sailors were sacked.
MOL/JR/HE
Views: 0