According to the US Naval Institute, the officials, who were assigned to East Coast Naval Special Warfare units, repeatedly failed a series of drug tests from March to April 2018.
"We have a zero-tolerance policy for the use of illicit drugs, and as such, these individuals will be held accountable for their actions," Cmdr. Tamara Lawrence said in a statement to the institute's news branch. "We are confident in our drug testing procedures and will continue to impress on all members of the command that illicit drugs are incompatible with the SEAL ethos and Naval service."
None of the servicemembers have been identified.
Business Insider reported that this was not the first time that the US Navy has been affected by drug usage. In late 2016 the East Coast SEALS enacted an operational pause in order to talk to sailors about the drug problem.
Footage obtained by CBS News details Capt. Jamie Sands addressing the Naval Special Warfare Group 2 unit, saying, "if you do drugs, if you decide to be that selfish individual, which I don't think anyone is going to be after today, I believe you will be caught."
In April 2017, the outlet followed up on the issue and spoke with several members of the US Navy SEAL community who remarked that either reporting or speaking up against drug use was a "career killer."
