Yet another midshipman has been expelled from the Naval Academy, as a result of a 10-month investigation into the use of the designer drug spice by midshipmen.

The expulsion of this particular midshipman has brought the number of midshipmen expelled due to spice-related violations to 16. It also marked the closure of the investigation surrounding spice use in the Academy.

Academy spokeswoman Deborah Goode revealed on Thursday that the midshipman in question was a senior male; he was not allowed to graduate in May. No other details regarding the midshipman were released, due to privacy laws. The report mentioned, however, that those who leave the academy after two or more years are usually required to pay for the cost of their education, or to serve as an enlisted Sailor in the fleet.

Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) spokesman Ed Buice was asked whether all of the midshipmen who were expelled due to spice-related cases were all part of a single ring. Buice replied that it would be “oversimplifying to say they were all part of the same group.” He did hint at a connection among them, however, by saying: “Obviously, we found out about these individuals as part of the same investigation.”

Synthetic marijuana has been banned from the Navy since March 2010, and all sixteen expelled midshipmen were found to be in violation of this policy. However, at the time when the use of spice by these midshipmen were said to have occurred, the substance was still being sold legally over the Internet, and in convenience stores.