Sources: suspicious powder found at the white house when Biden left is cocaine

The Secret Service agents during a routine patrol on Sunday found a white substance in the area accessible to tour groups rather than in a specific office in the West Wing, said the officials.

Washington- On Sunday night while President Joe Biden was staying at Camp David, the White House was temporarily evacuated after the Secret Service agents discovered a suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing and a preliminary test revealed the substance to be cocaine. Officials said Secret Service agents during a routine patrol on Sunday found the white powder in an area accessible to tour groups rather than in a specific office in the West Wing. The officers who were not authorised to discuss the ongoing investigation to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The complex was evacuated around 8: 00 am. At 4.45pm on Sunday, fire and rescue services were called in and a rapid test was conducted, tentatively identifying cocaine. The White House was quickly reopened and the powder sent for further inspection.

Biden and his family left for Camp David on Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday.

The Secret Service said in a statement that it had closed the White House as a precautionary measure while emergency response forces investigated the matter and called the District of Columbia Fire department to evaluate the material and determine it was not dangerous

“ This item has been sent for further investigation pending investigation into how and why it entered the White House ”, the Secret Service said.

White House Cocaine Culprits Unlikely to be Found: Law Enforcement

The law enforcement officials confirmed Wednesday the cocaine was found at the White House over the weekend. But people familiar with the investigation warned that it was unlikely the drug’s origin would be determined because it was found in a busy area of the West Wing.

A small amount of cocaine was found in an electronics storage room at the basement entrance of the West Wing’s Executive, but many people including employees and visitors who came to tour the West Wing were allowed access.

Asked what the chances of finding the culprit were, a law enforcement officer said: “Give the circumstances, it would be very difficult to find one”

“Even if there were surveillance cameras, they might not have caught them unless they panned around,” the officer added, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. “ It’s a little street, people pass by it all the time.” 

A uniformed Secret Service agent found the cocaine around 6p.m Sunday. Officers didn’t know what the substance was, which temporarily heightened security at the White House. The White House Fire department was called and on arrival, they found the material to be harmless and sent it to a central laboratory for further testing.

With fingers crossed, the Secret Service is leading the investigation while being assisted by the FBI.

Navy thwarts Iran seizure of two merchant ship

In other news, a recent development between the U.S Navy and Iranian forces . Iran has targeted 20 internationally flagged merchant ships since 2021 as it seeks to seize vessels in the Gulf of Oman, according to the Navy.

The U.S Navy said Wednesday morning in a press release that it had stopped Iranian forces from seizing two commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

In the first seizure attempt, Iranian forces approached the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, but when a U.s destroyer arrived, they left the scene and sent planes to patrol the area, the Navy said,

Hours later, the Navy received a distress call from a Bahamas-flagged tanker off the coast of Oman. The Iranian vessel fired several shots at the tanker including the crew before U.S forces arrived and called off the seizure attempt, the Navy said.

Iran plans to seize vessels in the Gulf of Oman, targeting 20 internationally flagged merchant ships from 2021, Navy says