Inside the White House, a preliminary field test revealed that the substance discovered, appearing as a white powder, was indicative of cocaine.
An investigation is currently underway by the US Secret Service to determine the circumstances surrounding the presence of cocaine at the White House on Sunday night. Visitor logs and surveillance footage are being thoroughly examined in search of potential leads.
The discovery of the illicit substance within the West Wing, encompassing the Oval Office and other operational spaces for presidential aides and staff, prompted a temporary evacuation. Secret Service agents came across the powdery substance during a routine inspection conducted in an area accessible to tour groups.
As questions persist regarding the source of the illicit substance, a law enforcement official stated on Wednesday that further examinations have indeed verified the presence of cocaine in the powdery substance discovered by the Secret Service on Sunday.
It is worth noting that President Joe Biden and his family were situated at Camp David in Maryland during the incident.
As part of their duties, White House personnel regularly conduct tours of the West Wing for guests, which commonly occur during evening hours and weekends. Prior to entering the White House complex, guests are subjected to security screenings, after which they are requested to deposit their phones in designated cubbies.
White House Cocaine Incident aftermath
Following its discovery by Secret Service officers, the substance prompted a temporary closure of the White House. Found within a communal storage space on the ground floor of the West Wing, where the Oval Office and offices of key presidential aides and support staff are located, the substance was enclosed in a zip-close bag. Notably, it was discovered in proximity to an entrance designated for visitors on tours to deposit their phones, as stated by the official.
After its discovery, a preliminary examination of the substance was conducted by the District of Columbia Fire Department, which promptly indicated that it was cocaine. Subsequently, on Tuesday night, an additional test was conducted to further validate the findings.
President Biden has received a briefing on the incident, as communicated by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who highlighted that the section where the cocaine was found at the White House experiences significant foot traffic from visitors.
In the ongoing investigation, the Secret Service is keeping all possibilities open regarding the involvement of White House personnel, guests, or visitors. According to senior law enforcement officials who received briefings on the matter, a prevailing theory suggests that the bag containing the cocaine may have been brought in by an individual participating in a White House tour of the West Wing.
In contrast to certain federal organizations, the Secret Service does not possess drug-sniffing canines. In situations where officers come across powders or substances within the White House premises or its vicinity, they routinely seek assistance from D.C. Fire and EMS.
The unearthing of the “unknown item” led to a “precautionary closure” of the White House, as acknowledged by Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi in a statement issued on Tuesday.
