(AFP) – Aug 26, 2008

LONDON (AFP) — Five of Queen Elizabeth II's royal guards have been dismissed from the army after failing drugs tests, the Ministry of Defence said Tuesday.

Soldiers from the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, perform gun salutes to mark the Queen's birthday and other royal occasions, among other duties.

"We can confirm that five members of King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, London, have provided positive samples following their unit's recent testing as part of the army's drug testing programme," said an MoD spokesman.

"Internal administrative action has been taken against all five soldiers," he added.

While not saying what action was involved, it was understood they were dismissed after the discovery of class A drugs -- which can include heroin and cocaine.

The King's Troop's duties including firing royal salutes in Hyde Park on royal anniversaries and state occasions, as well as providing a gun carriage and black horses during state or military funerals.

According to the Daily Mirror, two of those dismissed are women and two have served with British forces in Iraq.

"Drug misuse in the armed forces will not be tolerated," said the spokesman, adding that positive drug rates in the army over the last three years average around 0.8 percent, compared to over seven percent in the civilian population.

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