Poison Ricin Package was Sent to White House, Report Says

(Photo : Reuters)

Poison ricin was found in a White House package and addressed to President Donald Trump, officials said.

The package was discovered at an off-site screening facility for the White House earlier this week, said a BBC report. It has been intercepted earlier this week, before reaching the White House.

According to CNN, two tests were done to confirm that the White House's envelope did have the poison ricin.

Officials identified the substance on the package's envelope. The poison ricin is found naturally in castor beans.

What is Ricin?

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that it "gets inside the cells of a person's body." It prevents cells from making proteins it needs and will eventually cause cells to die.

"Eventually, this is harmful to the whole body, and death may occur," the CDC said.

Death from ricin can occur within 36 to 72 hours of exposure, said the CDC. The amount of time before ricin shows its effects depends on the dosage and method of exposure.

A person can be exposed to the poison through inhalation, ingestion, and injection.

"It would take a deliberate act to make ricin and use it to poison people," the agency said.

If a person did get exposed to the substance, they might feel nausea, vomit, internal bleeding, and organ failure. There are no known antidotes to this poison yet.

Where Did the Package Come From?

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Secret Service are still looking into the case. They want to find out where the package came from and whether there are more of its kind sent through the US postal system.

So far, the FBI did not find any threat to public security, as per a Saturday statement. The White House did not immediately comment on the matter.

An official told the New York Times that there are speculations of the package coming from Canada.

With this, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Saturday that it would be working with the FBI to investigate.

Mary-Liz Power, the chief spokeswoman for Canada's Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair, also weighed in on the incident.

She said in a statement, "We are aware of the concerning reports of packages containing ricin directed toward US federal government sites."

She assured that law enforcement in Canada is working closely with US authorities. As the investigation is still in progress, Power is not allowed to give further comment.

Ricin in the White House

Ricin is no stranger to the White House. It has been sent there before, noted The Guardian.

In 2018, a US Navy veteran was charged to send the poison to officials, including Trump. His likely victims also included then defense secretary James Mattis, CIA director Gina Haspel and FBI director Christopher Wray.

A Mississippi man was also sentenced to 25 years in 2014 for sending letters that were dusted with the poison. It was sent to Barack Obama and other officials.

Another sentence was also given to an actor in the same year. The letters were sent to Obama and Michael Bloomberg in a bizarre attempt to frame her husband.

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