WASHINGTON – A formal laboratory test of the white matter found at the White House on Sunday came back positive for cocaine, according to an official with knowledge of the investigation.
The substance was found Sunday night in a small zippered bag in a busy part of the West Wing and prompted a brief evacuation, according to a US Secret Service official.
It is not clear how long the bag was in the White House. The blurred timeline and the number of people walking through the area where the cocaine was found could make it difficult to determine who was responsible for the substance, a source familiar with the investigation told NBC News on Tuesday.
The Secret Service is conducting the investigation, which will include looking at cameras and entry logs, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The cocaine was found by officers during “routine patrols” of the White House, a Secret Service official said.
The substance had previously tested positive for cocaine in a preliminary field test, a source familiar with the investigation said Tuesday, and the formal laboratory test confirmed that result.
President Joe Biden was at Camp David, not the White House, when the cocaine was discovered.
Peter Alexander, Monica Alba, Sally Broston and mike memoli contributed.
