OAN’s Roy Francis
8:00 AM – Wednesday, July 5, 2023
A suspicious powder was discovered in the White House on Sunday which was later determined to be cocaine.
The substance, which was found in a work area inside the West Wing of the White House, led to a temporary evacuation on Sunday night while officers from the Secret Service Uniformed Division investigated the unknown item.
The White House was evacuated around 8:45 p.m. on Sunday as fire and emergency crews were called in to conduct a rapid test to determine if the substance was hazardous. Preliminary testing found that the substance was cocaine.
The White House was reopened shortly after as the substance was sent off-site for further testing.
The Secret Service released a statement saying that the substance is being tested and that an investigation is being conducted to see who was the person responsible for bringing in the substance.
“On Sunday evening, the White House complex went into a precautionary closure as officers from the Secret Service Uniformed Division investigated an unknown item found inside a work area,” the statement given to Fox News read. “The DC Fire Department was called to evaluate and quickly determined the item to be non-hazardous. The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending.”
Secret Service agents were conducting routine inspections of the complex on Sunday night when the substance was discovered in a work area in the West Wing. The West Wing of the White House contains the Oval Office and Situation Room, as well as the offices of the Vice President, Chief of Staff, Press Secretary and many staffers.
President Joe Biden and his family were at Camp David at the time of the incident.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Cocaine is a schedule II drug under the Controlled Substance Act.
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