Traces of cocaine were reportedly found by staff working at a UK government grace-and-favor home after parties attended by political allies of former Prime Minister and foreign secretary Liz Truss, The Guardian reported on Friday.
The white powder was allegedly found in the Chevening estate – a 115-room mansion traditionally granted to the foreign secretary – last summer, in the days before Truss won the party leadership race and became prime minister.
Sources claim that the class A drug was present at at least two parties – one held in late August at the height of Truss’ political campaign, and another on the first weekend of September, just days before she won the position. Both parties are believed to have been personally attended by Truss and her political allies.
Employees of the estate told The Guardian that they tested the substance using a swab which changes color when it comes into contact with cocaine and found that the white powder did in fact contain traces of the drug.
Other sources said that similar white powder was found in the offices at No 10 Downing Street after two lockdown parties held when Boris Johnson was at the helm of the UK government, the outlet reports.
The newspaper notes, however, that there is “no suggestion that Truss or Johnson themselves used the drug or that they would have been aware if drugs were used or present.”
Possession of cocaine is considered a criminal offense under UK law and is punishable by up to seven years in prison as well as attracting an unlimited fine. British officials, including Truss, had previously called for a crackdown on recreational drug users in the country and have proposed harsher punishments for offenders, such as passport confiscation and nightclub bans.