Fire brigade vehicles outside the White House on the night of July 2, after the Secret Service found a suspicious powder in the West Common Area Wing Credit: Anthony Peltier/AP
Sophisticated FBI tests could not find any fingerprints or DNA samples on a pack of cocaine found at the White House earlier this month.
The US Secret Service said it had closed its investigation into who smuggled the drug into the building because there was no “material evidence”.
The building was evacuated after security personnel discovered a “suspicious substance” during a scheduled inspection on 2 July.
It was found in the busy West Wing lobby, where employees enter and exit and tour groups gather to leave their phones and other belongings.
After preliminary tests showed it was cocaine, the Secret Service launched a “cause and method” investigation into how it got into the White House.
But the investigation was closed on Thursday after officials were unable to obtain fingerprints or sufficient DNA from the package to compare it to the pool of people who might have brought it.
“Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to isolate the person of interest from the hundreds of people who passed through the vestibule where cocaine was found,” reads a summary seen by the Associated Press.
Joe Biden ignored questions about cocaine found in the West Wing as he left the White House two days later. Photo: JIM LO SCALZO/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The drug was found “inside a container used to temporarily store electronic and personal devices before entering the West Wing.”
According to the brief, the cocaine and packaging underwent rigorous fingerprint, DNA and chemical testing at the FBI crime lab. The Secret Service said that the security cameras at the entrance to the building did not give any clues.
“Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to identify the person of interest from the hundreds of people who passed through the vestibule where cocaine was found,” they added. department. “The Secret Service investigation is currently closed due to lack of physical evidence.”
Republicans were quick to criticize the findings. Former President Donald Trump used this conclusion to double down on accusations that the Justice Department unfairly targeted him on a “witch hunt.”
He said, “Even though all the cameras are pointing crimes.” crime,” and the best forensics in the world, they just can't figure it out? They know the answer just like everyone else!”
Writing on Truth Social, he added: “In the meantime, they continue to stalk and investigate me for years in what has been called the greatest witch hunt of all time – NOTHING!!! ELECTION INTERFERENCE & two levels of justice.”
“There is no equal justice,” said House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. “Everything related to Biden, Inc. is treated differently than any other American, and this must stop.”
Safe
The discovery of the substance earlier this month prompted the evacuation of the executive's mansion and the closure of nearby roads.
President Joe Biden was not at the White House at the time of the discovery, having spent the weekend at Camp David.
Conservative websites were quick to point out that Hunter Biden, the president's 53-year-old son who admitted to struggling with addiction, was in the White House at the time.
But there was no evidence linking Hunter Biden to the presence drug.
The powder was discovered in a work area in the West Wing and was initially assessed by the fire department, but was found to be non-hazardous.
Details of the discovery appeared on the openmhz.com website “police and fire radio”, which allows listeners to eavesdrop on emergency services.
At 20:49. On Sunday, a firefighter said: “We have a yellow strip that says cocaine hydrochloride.”
Cocaine hydrochloride, which comes as a white powder, is used as a local anesthetic and is also inhaled by drug users. However, it is different from “street cocaine”.
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