19 U.S. SAILORS AT YOKOSUKA JAILED OR DISCHARGED OVER DRUGS SINCE JUNE

YOKOSUKA -- Nineteen sailors from the U.S. aegis cruiser Vincennes have
either been imprisoned or dishonorably discharged from the service for drug
offenses since June, U.S. Navy and other sources said Saturday.

Investigators from the U.S. Navy started a probe based on a tip received
around June that some sailors from the warship were abusing drugs, and
found that the 19 were using designer drugs such as MDMA, commonly known as
Ecstasy, as well as cocaine, the sources said. Although they were not
court-martialed, two were jailed for using drugs and trading them with
other crew members, and 17 others were dishonorably discharged and sent
home, the sources said.