Suspected Cocaine Found at the White House
Wild West Wing
A preliminary test indicated that the white substance was cocaine. President Biden was away at the time.
A white powdery substance was found inside the White House on Sunday evening, according to an initial test, the New York Timesreported.
President Biden and his family were at Camp David when the substance was discovered in the West Wing around 6 p.m. on Sunday evening, a person familiar with the incident told the Times. A a brief evacuation of the White House followed, as response workers assessed whether the substance was hazardous.
In a dispatch timestamped at 8:49 p.m, hazmat crew officials radioed the results of the preliminary test: “We have a yellow bar saying cocaine hydrochloride.”
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an official familiar with the investigation told the Washington Post that the 8:49 transmission was from the White House call Sunday night.
In a statement, a spokesman for the Secret Service, Anthony Guglielmi, said “the item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending.” He said the substance was discovered by members of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service during patrol of the building. The D.C. fire department determined the substance did not present a threat, said Guglielmi.
Biden and several family members returned to the White House on Tuesday morning.
