Customs and Border Protection officers in upstate New York arrested a woman attempting to enter the United States from Canada who is believed to have sent a letter containing the poison ricin to the White House last week.
The woman was taken into custody by federal law enforcement in Buffalo, New York, CBP confirmed. She was carrying a gun when federal officers detained her. The woman, whose name and country of origin have not been released, is expected to face federal charges brought by prosecutors in Washington, D.C., for allegedly mailing the letter to President Trump.
CNN first reported over the weekend that a piece of mail that originated in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, was intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service, and substances inside tested positive for ricin, which can be used as a biological weapon. All White House mail is inspected off-site before being forwarded for delivery.
“The FBI and our U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service partners are investigating a suspicious letter received at a U.S. government mail facility. At this time, there is no known threat to public safety,” the FBI’s Washington field office said in a statement.
Ricin comes from the waste left over after processing castor beans, which are used to make castor oil. The poison is toxic to people, and trace amounts can be fatal if consumed, injected, or inhaled.
The Buffalo region has become ground zero for drug smuggling on the northern border in recent months. Just miles downriver from the tourist haven Niagara Falls, tons of marijuana worth $30 million were intercepted as smugglers attempted to move it from Canada to the U.S. in the spring and early summer.
DEVELOPING: A woman who allegedly tried sending ricin to @realDonaldTrump at the White House, is expected to be arraigned in Federal court today.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested her at the Peace Bridge.
Here’s what we know: https://t.co/mDOCmZw1jH pic.twitter.com/CbYZKAUAYx
— Gabrielle Mediak (@GabrielleMediak) September 21, 2020
