3 Air Controllers in Miami Fired in Sale of Drugs

MIAMI — The FAA said today that it fired three Miami air traffic controllers for peddling cocaine and marijuana at work and ordered six others who used drugs off duty to enter rehabilitation programs.

The actions ended a seven-week Federal Aviation Administration investigation of Miami air traffic control center employees who direct the routes of up to 5,300 flights a day.

The FAA said three controllers--two women and a man--were fired for trying to sell drugs at the center, but officials said there is no evidence that the controllers actually used drugs at work.

“At no time did the investigation find that any of these employees used drugs while on duty. Our investigation also found that the off-duty use had no effect, created no problems, while they were on duty,” said Roger Myers, a spokesman for the FAA’s regional office in Atlanta.

But Myers added, “Our controllers need to be at their peak performance at all times, and any foreign substance, no matter what, even alcohol or legal drugs, cannot be tolerated.”

The six controllers found to use cocaine and marijuana during off-duty hours were ordered to enter outpatient drug rehabilitation programs at hospitals for six to 24 months, depending on the severity of their drug use, Myers said.

Those controllers will remain on administrative duty until they complete the programs, and they will be subject to surprise urine tests by the FAA for 24 months, he said.