Apparently, you don't have to be a pilot to get high: Acting on intelligence regarding drug use in one of the IDF's most important air force units, Military Police interrogated a number of Air Force monitoring unit members based in the north.
Fourteen soldiers were questioned and eight were detained in connection with the case.
A week after a former Military Police officer, Brigadier General Miki Barel, told Ynet that he was worried about drug use in the IDF, and despite major efforts to deal with the problem and prevent its spread, it seems that the problem of smoking cannabis is far from being over.
The Northern Command's Criminal Investigation Division decided to go public with its investigation into the issue. The Division has revealed that its investigators raided the Air Force monitoring unit in question and began searching the base. They confiscated marijuana and hashish, which were found both in the base and in the hospital.
At this time it appears more soldiers may be arrested on similar charges.
The Air Force's northern monitoring unit acts as the 'eyes' of the Air Force, tracking and identifying all suspicious aircrafts in Israel's skies.
However, the Military Police stressed that the soldiers arrested did not belong to the operational branch of the unit.
Despite this, in his interview with Ynet, Barel stressed that soldiers who do not have sensitive tasks can still constitue a danger to themselves and others, and the army's policy is therefore extremely severe on drugs.
"Any thought of easing up on drug users could bring a catastrophe to the IDF," he said.
It should be noted that the army does not differentiate between use of hard and soft drugs. In addition, drug use receives the same penalties whether the soldier is on or off duty.
Every soldier who is caught with drugs is charged and tried in a military court. In case of conviction, the soldier is sentenced to military jail and carries a criminal record into civilian life for many years.
The IDF Spokesperson's Office said, "Military Police have opened a wide ranging investigation after suspicions of dangerous drug use by soldiers serving in the base."
"A number of soldiers who were questioned admitted that they used drugs during their military service. The Military Police… is using intelligence and advanced technology in its investigation."
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