KABUL-BOUND TROOPS GIVEN DRUG TESTS

Tip Sparks Raid At CFB Valcartier. About 30 Subjected To Surprise Urine
Tests, But No Arrests Made And No Charges Laid

Urine samples taken from 30 soldiers at CFB Valcartier - some of whom are
set to be deployed on a dangerous mission to Afghanistan - could reveal as
early as today if a unit of the storied Vandoos regiment has been infested
by drugs.

Military authorities, backed by civilian police sniffer dogs, raided
lockers and work stations Monday at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, after
brass there were tipped off about a possible drug problem.

About 30 soldiers, all associated with the Third Battalion of the Royal
22nd Regiment, were subject to surprise urine tests, which are now
undergoing analysis at a laboratory in a search for traces of illicit drugs.

The extremely rare police operation was orchestrated in part because of the
military's absolute prohibition on drug use and possession, said Major Marc
Theriault, a base spokesperson.

But with waves of soldiers from the base near Quebec City shipping off
every few days to join the war on terror, getting to the bottom of the
allegations became all the more urgent.

"Since the operation in Afghanistan is dangerous and troops could be
handling weapons, they have to be alert at all times," Theriault said.
"(Diminished capacity) could jeopardize the success of the operation."

Some of the soldiers targeted were set to ship out to Afghanistan on
Friday, but their deployment has been put on hold pending the results of
the tests.

If any of the soldiers headed to the war zone test positive, they will
likely be pulled from the mission, Theriault said.

The investigative unit of the armed forces, as well as military police and
the SQ, were called in to collect the samples and conduct searches after
the alert about the possible drug problem worked its way up the chain of
command.

Captain Mark Giles, a spokesperson for the National Investigation Service,
said about 30 drug tests were administered, but that doesn't mean all of
those soldiers are under investigation.

A small amount of an unidentified drug was seized on the base and is being
analyzed in a lab, he said. But no arrests have been made so far and no
charges laid.

While Giles was unsure if the mandatory drug testing was a first for the
forces, he said it's certainly not something that happens often.

"Drug investigations are extremely rare, but they do happen from time to
time," he said.

Anyone who is found to have used illegal drugs will be sanctioned under the
rules of military justice and could also face criminal charges.

Punishments meted out could range from a simple reprimand to dismissal from
the forces, but anyone found to have a drug problem could also be referred
to therapy programs.

None of the soldiers who have already begun their tour of duty in
Afghanistan are expected to undergo testing since the scope of the
investigation only targeted a single battalion.

Back at Valcartier, Theriault explained why the armed forces has such a
strict anti-drug stance.

"When it comes to using drugs in the Canadian Forces it's zero tolerance,
even if the Canadian public has become more accepting of certain
substances," he said. "Considering the fact we handle weapons, when you
know how consuming drugs affects a person's faculties, it's unacceptable."