Secret Service Confirms No Leads or Physical Evidence from Cocaine Incident at the White House

Despite a thorough FBI crime lab analysis, no fingerprints or DNA were found on the bag of cocaine discovered in a White House lobby last week, according to a Secret Service investigation summary obtained by The Big Big News. There are currently no leads regarding the individual who brought the drugs into the building.

During a standard sweep of the White House on July 2, U.S. Secret Service agents found the white powder in a West Wing lobby frequently used by staff and tour groups.

The Secret Service officials stated in the summary, “The investigation is challenged by a lack of physical evidence, which makes it impossible to single out a suspect from the hundreds of people who passed through the lobby where the cocaine was found.”

An anonymous source with knowledge of the investigation suggested to The Big Big News that the bag was probably left by one of the many visitors who frequented the building over the weekend.

The incident triggered a wave of criticism and inquiries from Republicans who were briefed on the investigation’s findings on Thursday.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated on Thursday, “There is no equal justice. Everything involving ‘Biden, Inc.’ is handled differently than for other Americans, and this needs to change.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre affirmed that President Joe Biden considered it crucial for the Secret Service to determine how the drugs found their way into the White House. The President was not present during the discovery of the drugs, as he was spending the holiday weekend at Camp David with his family.

When the white powder was discovered, the complex was temporarily evacuated as a safety measure. The fire department was called to test the substance on-site for hazardous material. Although it tested negative for a biohazard, it tested positive for cocaine.

A secondary, more sensitive lab analysis was conducted on the bag. The Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center carried out tests for biothreats, which returned negative results.

Further forensic tests, including sophisticated fingerprint and DNA analysis, were conducted on the cocaine and its packaging at the FBI’s crime lab. The FBI also performed chemical tests.

Simultaneously, Secret Service investigators compiled a list of several hundred people who might have accessed the area where the drugs were found. However, no latent fingerprints or DNA were discovered in the lab results, thus preventing any comparison with potential suspects. White House staff are fingerprinted, while tour group members are not.

According to the Secret Service, surveillance footage of the West Executive street lobby entrance failed to identify anyone or yield any credible investigative leads.

The lobby, typically used for staff-led tours of the West Wing during non-working hours, is by invitation only. There were tours on the day the drugs were discovered, as well as the two preceding days.

The Situation Room in the West Wing, typically used by staff to leave their phones before entering, was undergoing renovations at the time of the discovery and was not in use, as reported by national security advisor Jake Sullivan last week.

This report includes contributions from Big Big News writer Kevin Freking.

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More about White House Cocaine Incident

• The Big Big News – The source of the obtained summary of the Secret Service investigation.
• White House – Official website of the White House.
• FBI – Official website of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• Homeland Security – Official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.