Initial tests identify white powder found at White House as cocaine

A powdery substance that was discovered at the White House, prompting a temporary evacuation of the complex, has been sent for further evaluation and testing, the Secret Service said.

Two law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine.

Sources told CNN the powder was discovered in the West Wing on Sunday evening, and one described it as a white powdery substance in a Ziploc bag.

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The White House is seen at sunrise in Washington, DC, in January 2021.

An official said the substance was found in a common area of the West Wing and not within an individual office. The area where the substance was found is accessible to certain tour groups.

CNN has reached out to the White House and FBI for comment.

Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the powdery substance was found in a "work area within the West Wing." The Washington, DC, fire department, which deployed its hazmat team, determined that the substance was non-hazardous and an investigation into how it entered the White House is ongoing, Guglielmi said.

The discovery of the substance on Sunday evening triggered a brief evacuation as part of what the Secret Service described as "precautionary closures."

President Joe Biden was at Camp David over the weekend and returned to the White House Tuesday morning.

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Initial tests identify white powder found at White House as cocaine
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