Subsequent testing confirmed that a powdery substance discovered by the Secret Service at the White House on Sunday was cocaine, a law enforcement official said Wednesday, as questions linger about how the drug got into the building.

The discovery of the substance caused a brief shutdown of the White House after it was found by Secret Service officers on the ground floor of the West Wing, which houses the Oval Office and offices of some of the president’s top aides and support staff. It was found near an entrance where visitors taking tours are directed to leave their phones, the official said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden has been briefed on the incident and noted the area where the cocaine was discovered is “heavily traveled” by visitors.

“When it comes to visitors to the West Wing, they come for many reasons, obviously we do have West Wing tours that occur here on campus,” she said, adding tours took place Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Secret Service is not ruling out any White House personnel, guests or visitors. But at this point, one leading theory is that the bag was brought in by an individual on a White House tour of the West Wing, according to senior law enforcement officials briefed on the matter.

White House staffers frequently give guests tours of the West Wing, often at night and over the weekend. Guests must pass through security before entering the White House complex and then are asked to leave phones in small cubbies.

An initial test of the substance conducted by the District of Columbia Fire Department soon after it was found indicated it was cocaine, two law enforcement officials told CBS News, and the additional test took place Tuesday night.

In a recording of a radio message from D.C. Fire hazmat personnel who responded to the scene Sunday night, a first responder can be heard saying the substance tested positive for “cocaine hydrochloride.” The message was posted by the website OpenMHz, which records and archives radio dispatches by police, fire and EMS agencies.

The Secret Service is leading a full review of how the substance got into the West Wing, law enforcement officials told CBS News, including examining cameras and entrance logs to determine who had access to the space. Authorities are still working to identify the person who left the cocaine at the White House. Officials caution this will be a challenging investigation, and while there are some cameras in the West Wing, it’s unclear if anyone was captured on those cameras with the bag of cocaine.

Unlike some other federal entities, the Secret Services does not have drug-sniffing dogs. So, if a Secret Service officer encounters a powder or substance on White House grounds or in surrounding areas, they routinely request the assistance of D.C. Fire and EMS.

The discovery of the “unknown item” prompted a “precautionary closure” of the White House, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi acknowledged in a statement Tuesday.

Guglielmi said that the D.C. Fire Department was called to evaluate the substance and determined it was “non-hazardous.”

Mr. Biden was not at the White House over the weekend. He, first lady Dr. Jill Biden and members of their family departed for Camp David on Friday. They returned to the White House on Tuesday for an event with the National Education Association and Fourth of July festivities.

_______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof

Two leading books on electronic evidence by Hon. Justice Professor Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Rtd., PhD, FICMC, are now available for purchase. The publications, Electronic Evidence (Second Edition), With The Evidence Act, 2011 and Compendium Of Cases On Electronic Evidence, Volume II, 2020–2025, provide practical guidance, legal analysis and recent judicial authorities on electronic evidence in Nigeria.Order directly from the author here: https://velvety-cendol-7387ed.netlify.app/ ______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ________________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________