The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) announced on Wednesday that a small bag containing a white powdery substance, which field tested positive for cocaine, was discovered in a heavily trafficked hallway of its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
According to the press release, around 1 p.m., an officer found a roughly one-inch-by-one-inch zip lock bag filled with the illegal drug in the middle of the floor on the second floor of the USCP headquarters.
The area where the bag was found is used for storing furniture and supplies and is often visited by contractors and employees. It is also in close proximity to several offices, including Prisoner Processing, Crime Scene, Intel, and Reports Processing.
The officer immediately reported the discovery to a supervisor, and the substance was field tested, confirming the presence of cocaine. The USCP Investigations Division has launched an investigation into the incident, which will include further testing of the residue and DNA testing of the bag.’
This incident comes just 10 months after cocaine was found in the White House last July.
The discovery of the drug in the West Wing triggered an evacuation and emergency response.
At the time, the U.S. Secret Service stated, “The White House complex went into a precautionary closure as officers from the Secret Service Uniformed Division investigated an unknown item found inside a work area. The DC Fire Department was called to evaluate and quickly determined the item to be non-hazardous. The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending.”
The Capitol Police released the following statement regarding the current investigation:
The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is investigating a roughly one-inch by one-inch zip lock bag with a small amount of a white powdery substance, which field tested positive for cocaine.
The small bag was found on the floor of a hallway inside USCP headquarters. The hallway is on the second floor in an area that has been a staging spot for furniture and supplies. The area is heavily trafficked by various contractors and employees. It is also near offices such as Prisoner Processing, Crime Scene, Intel and Reports Processing.
The baggie was found in the middle of the floor just before 1:00 p.m. by an officer, who immediately reported it to a supervisor. The residue was field tested and came back positive for cocaine. The USCP Investigations Division has opened an investigation, which will include further testing, including DNA testing of the baggie. We will provide more information when it becomes available.
U.S. Capitol Police investigators said they will provide further updates to the public as more information becomes available.