On Wednesday, a United States Secret Service spokesman broke the news that a white substance that was found in the White House on Sunday evening, was confirmed as cocaine. A source said the white powder was found during a “routine” search, and an investigation is ongoing.
However, one official familiar with the investigation has warned that the “source of the drug was unlikely to be determined given that it was discovered in a highly trafficked area of the West Wing” Politico reported.
“The small amount of cocaine was found in a cubby area for storing electronics within the West Exec basement entryway into the West Wing” Politico continued. The area is one where “many people have authorized access, including staff or visitors coming in for West Wing tours.”
The lack of confidence for narrowing in on the source should be alarming, particularly to staff and residents of the White House itself. Asked what the chances were of finding the culprit, the official said that “it’s gonna be very difficult for us to do that because of where it was.”
“Even if there were surveillance cameras, unless you were waving it around, it may not have been caught” by the cameras, added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity given that it’s an ongoing investigation. “It’s a bit of a thoroughfare. People walk by there all the time.”
A spokesman for the Secret Service, Anthony Guglielmi, said initially that “the D.C. fire department determined that the substance, which was found in a ‘work area of the West Wing,’ did not present a threat” reported The Washington Post.
President Joe Biden was at Camp David over the weekend and only returned on the morning of the Fourth of July. ABC News reports, “When asked if there were tours this past weekend, the Secret Service would not confirm that, saying: ‘These are details that are pertinent to our investigation and not something we can get into.”
