Mysterious white powder found at White House confirmed to be cocaine

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

White House over the weekend and it has been confirmed to be cocaine, according to reports from United States media outlets. The powder was found in a publicly accessible area of the West Wing on Sunday evening and prompted a brief evacuation of the complex. President Joe Biden was not present at the time, as he was enjoying a weekend retreat at Camp David.

The Secret Service, responsible for presidential security, swiftly responded to the situation, with fire and emergency service personnel conducting initial tests on the material. These tests revealed that the substance was indeed cocaine. Following the evacuation, the White House reopened, and the powder was subsequently sent for further testing.

While the Secret Service has confirmed the discovery of an «item» and its subsequent testing, they have not yet provided specific details regarding the substance's nature. However, numerous media outlets, citing government sources, have identified the material as cocaine. The Washington Post reported the radio communication of a firefighter from the DC department's hazardous materials team, stating, «We have a yellow bar saying cocaine hydrochloride.» The area where the cocaine was found is frequently accessed by tour groups.

The West Wing, a significant section of the White House housing the Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Press Room, along with offices and workplaces for the president's staff members, is visited by hundreds of people on a regular basis. President Biden, accompanied by his family, had departed for Camp David on Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday. His return was planned to coincide with his address to a national teachers' union and a celebratory BBQ commemorating the United States' Independence