Five British soldiers arrested for ‘dealing cocaine at base’ after raid by military police
Raid at Larkhill barracks reportedly resulted in mass drug testing
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Five British soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of dealing cocaine at their military base.
An army spokesperson said those taken into custody belonged to Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire.
They were arrested by the Royal Military Police last Tuesday.
Officers reportedly raided military accommodation in Wiltshire with specialist dog units following a tip-off.
The sting resulted in at least five gunners from the Royal Artillery being arrested on suspicion of dealing the class A drug, according to the Daily Mail.
The Larkhill barracks, which are based north of Salisbury, were reportedly shut down following the arrests with troops onsite undergoing mass drug testing.
“You couldn’t get off camp without being tested. Nobody was being let out otherwise,” the Daily Mail reported.
An army spokesperson said: “A number of soldiers from Larkhill Garrison were arrested by the Royal Military Police on 26th April 2022.
“As the matter is the subject of an ongoing Royal Military Police investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
On its website, the British army says it has a “zero-tolerance” approach to substance misuse, which is “incompatible with army life”.
“Any service person found to have used illegal substances will be disciplined appropriately, including discharge from service,” it says.
The Royal Artillery has been approached for comment.