By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The cocaine discovered in the White House on Sunday was found in a cubby hole in the entry area of the West Wing where visitors place electronics and other belongings before taking a tour, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The Secret Service is investigating who would have come through that area at the time to determine the source of the substance.
The discovery led to a brief closure of the White House complex on Sunday. President Joe Biden and his family were not at the White House at the time.
Administration officials are able to offer tours of parts of the West Wing, which houses the Oval Office, to friends and family members. People who are not members of staff must leave their electronics and other belongings in the storage cubicles before taking a tour.
“It was in one of the cubbies,” the source said.
The West Wing also encompasses the cabinet room, press area, and offices and workspace for staff and advisers. It is not accessible as part of the public White House tours.
The source said a probe was underway to determine who may have left the cocaine in the cubby hole.
“They’re checking visitor logs and … looking at cameras. Those are the next steps. Cross checking.”
A Secret Service spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The agency has not provided details about how much cocaine was found.
Biden and his family returned to the White House on Tuesday morning after spending the long holiday weekend at the presidential retreat Camp David.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Heather Timmons and David Gregorio)
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