USNA to Discipline Nine Midshipmen Over Drug Use

[Brief] After administering a surprise drug test for all 4,500 of its students, the U.S. Naval Academy is pursuing disciplinary action against nine midshipmen over the use of illegal substances.

Five individuals face discipline for using mushrooms, ecstasy, ketamine or cocaine. Four more allegedly knew about the use of these drugs but did not report it, and will also be disciplined. 

In a statement, spokesman Cmrd. David McKinney said that a wide range of disciplinary options are on the table, from full court-martial to expulsion to administrative demerits. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is still investigating, and the final results will inform the disciplinary proceedings, McKinney said. 

Last November, two midshipmen informed administrators about a ring of drug users on campus, and the Naval Academy launched an investigation with the assistance of NCIS. According to a report by Fox News, three students were accused of using the "dark web" to source illegal narcotics, paying for them with bitcoin and then reselling them.