According to US law enforcement officials, the US Secret Service on Sunday (2) launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the finding of suspected cocaine in the White House.
The discovery of the substance, a small amount of white powder, prompted a brief evacuation of the mansion on Sunday. Initial field tests indicated it was cocaine, the Washington Post reported Monday, citing an unnamed official with knowledge of the matter.
An investigation has been launched into the “cause and nature” of the substance, according to Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. He added that further tests are being conducted to fully determine the fabric’s composition.
However, the Washington DC Fire Department said the white powder posed no danger to White House staff. The Secret Service blocked roads near the presidential residence, but the roadblocks were soon lifted.
Guglielmi did not elaborate on where the substance was found in the White House, but indicated that it was discovered by the Secret Service’s Uniformed Branch, which was conducting routine security checks at the building. US President Joe Biden was not present at the time of the discovery.
At 8:49 p.m. Sunday, an employee of the Washington DC Fire Department’s hazardous materials team released the results of a preliminary test for the substance, telling colleagues, “We have a yellow bar that says cocaine hydrochloride.”
Fire official Vito Maggiolo confirmed that firefighters were “assisting US intelligence in conducting an investigation.”
The radio message was logged on a website called OpenMhz, which broadcasts police and fire department transmissions to the public, the Washington Post noted in its Monday report.
The newspaper added that its source confirmed the message came from the White House on Sunday. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity as the case was an ongoing investigation.