BRITISH TROOPS SUSPECTED OF 'GUNS FOR COCAINE' TRADE

BRITISH soldiers are being investigated for smuggling guns out of
Iraq and allegedly exchanging them for cocaine in illicit black market deals.

Security officials have confirmed that soldiers from the third
battalion the Yorkshire Regiment are at the centre of a criminal
probe by the Royal Military Police, who are investigating a "guns for
drugs" network.

According to a newspaper report, the alleged illegal deals are the
latest blow to the British military, coming in the wake of a week
when a corporal from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment admitted he had
committed a war crime against an Iraqi civilian.

Despite being against the rules, drug use is known to be on the
increase in the UK armed forces. But this is the first time that
military police have come across evidence that stolen weapons are
being used to pay for them.

One of the first soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment to have been
arrested is alleged to have bought drugs by trading handguns,
including Glock pistols smuggled from Iraq to Germany on at least six
occasions. Security sources claimed some of the weapons had been
exchanged for about 50 grams of cocaine with a street value of about
UKP2,500. It is alleged that the drugs were then sold to other UK
soldiers serving in Iraq.

Last night, it was unclear whether the traded weapons were British
Army issue or were seized from Iraqi soldiers or police or even
insurgent groups. The Ministry of Defence fears that the soldiers may
have been doing business with members of organised crime syndicates
in Germany. The unit involved in the alleged trade has a base north of Hanover.

According to the newspaper report, a security official was quoted as
saying: "Who did the guns go to? And what purpose did they want guns
for? Did they take them back to the UK and sell them on? Are they in
the hands of Yardies?"

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that a criminal investigation had
been carried out by the Royal Military Police into the "unlawful
possession" of weapons by soldiers belonging to the battalion.

The spokeswoman said: "The Army Prosecuting Authority is currently
considering the case. We cannot comment further until the outcome of the case."