Envelope addressed to White House contained deadly ricin
- The envelope, which appeared to have been sent from Canada, did not reach the White House
- Ricin is lethal even in minute doses if swallowed, inhaled or injected, causing organ failure
An envelope addressed to the White House and intercepted by US authorities contained a substance identified as ricin, a deadly poison that appeared to have been sent from Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said on Saturday.
An RCMP spokesman confirmed “it has received a request for assistance from the FBI in connection with a suspicious letter sent to the White House”.
The RCMP added “the FBI conducted an analysis on the substance found in the envelope. This report indicated the presence of ricin, a toxic substance.” RCMP said it working with the FBI but declined to discuss further details.
The envelope was intercepted at a government mail centre before it arrived at the White House.
Asked about the reports, the FBI said the agency and “US Secret Service and US Postal Inspection Service partners are investigating a suspicious letter received at a US government mail facility. At this time, there is no known threat to public safety.”
The White House and US Secret Service declined to comment.