Capitol Police are investigating after a one-inch ziplock bag of cocaine was found in a “heavily trafficked” area a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol.
The illegal drug was found on the second floor of the US Capitol Police (USCP) headquarters just before 1:00 PM ET on Wednesday.
It was discovered just months after Joe Biden’s administration was plagued by scandal after a bag of white powder – which tested positive for cocaine – was found in a White House cubicle.
Capitol Police said they are investigating an “approximately 1 inch by 1 inch ziplock bag containing a small amount of white powdery substance, which field tested positive for cocaine.”
“The hallway is located on the second floor in an area that was previously a staging area for furniture and supplies,” the USCP said in a statement.
‘The area is frequently visited by various contractors and employees. It is also close to offices such as Prisoner Processing, Crime Scene, Intel and Reports Processing.’
United States Capitol Police: USCP examines an approximately one inch by one inch ziplock bag containing a small amount of white powdery substance, which field tested positive for cocaine
After it was found and reported, the residue was field tested and came back positive for cocaine, the release said.
“The USCP Investigations Division has opened an investigation, which will include further testing, including DNA testing of the pouch. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”
Last summer, cocaine was found in a telephone safe in President Joe Biden’s White House.
DailyMail.com has obtained photos taken by the Secret Service, showing images of the bag of white powder found in a cubbyhole where personal belongings were kept near the West Executive entrance to the White House, in response to a request from the Freedom of Information Act.
Cocaine was found in locker No. 50 on Sunday, July 2, while the Biden family – including son Hunter – was spending the weekend at Camp David ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
The discovery led to an evacuation of the West Wing and the closure of streets around the White House, then sparked an 11-day investigation after the substance was identified as the illegal drug.
Documents obtained by DailyMail.com also show that FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate was involved in the investigation, which scandalized the Biden administration this summer.
Capitol Police are investigating after a bag of cocaine was found in a “heavily trafficked” area
The Secret Service closed the investigation in less than two weeks due to a “lack of evidence.”
The list of suspects was narrowed to 500, but security footage failed to identify the owner because the cameras were not pointed at the locker.
It is unclear whether any suspects were interviewed during the short investigation.
Lockers are not assigned to specific staff, a source familiar with the setup told DailyMail.com, but instead guests can choose a locker to use and then grab a key.
They are used by people who are not visitors to the West Wing, and not by the White House or the Executive Office of the President’s Staff.
The same source also said that someone taking a tour was the most likely culprit, as anyone with any familiarity with the White House would know that there is a bathroom just steps away where the contraband could have been flushed.
Documents obtained by DailyMail.com include real-time updates, such as the description that a “1” by 1″ bag of white powdery substance was found near where cardholders placed their phones as they entered the store. [redacted].’
Another document stated that the person who found the cocaine was “convinced it was drug related.”
Secret Service officials noted that the president was at Camp David and Vice President Kamala Harris was in Los Angeles at the time of the discovery.
“There is no media reporting of this incident at the time,” an initial Secret Service document says.
Once news reports of the incident emerged, the documents show that Secret Service officials had a back and forth with reporters over whether the powder was cocaine.
The Secret Service also had to clarify where it was found, because according to early reports on the incident, the cocaine was discovered in the White House library, then in the lobby of the West Wing, and finally in the booths at the entrance to the West Executive.
Cocaine was found in locker No. 50 on Sunday, July 2, while the Biden family – including son Hunter – was spending the weekend at Camp David ahead of the Fourth of July holiday
Documents obtained by DailyMail.com also show that FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate was involved in the investigation, which scandalized the Biden administration this summer.
An initial test conducted by DC Fire’s Hazmat team came back positive for opioids and amphetamines, while the Secret Service’s initial tests were inconclusive.
“They’re probably going with what they got from the DC fire. I can only tell you what the Secret Service does and we sent it out for formalized testing. Not saying DC fire is wrong, but we have a different process,” the Secret Service communications chief said in an email amid the barrage of media requests.
The FBI then got involved — at the request of Secret Service leadership, according to a document — and sent the sample to a lab at Quantico.