Poison letters linked to Montreal
Home tied to ricin-laced envelopes sent to White House
ST-HUBERT, Que. — RCMP raided a residence on Montreal’s south shore Monday in connection with envelopes containing the poison ricin that were sent to the White House and to various locations in Texas.
The home is tied to a woman arrested Sunday night at the New York-Canada border who authorities suspect is involved in the case, Cpl. Charles Poirier said.
“We don’t know if she lived here but there is a clear link between her and this residence,” Poirier said.
Police evacuated some units in the same building after they arrived about 10 a.m. Police were still on site as of 5 p.m. ET. The RCMP’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives team is leading the operation.
The Associated Press reported Sunday that three U.S. law enforcement officials said a woman suspected of sending a toxic envelope to the White House was arrested at the New York-Canada border. They said the letter had been intercepted last week before it reached the official residence of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Poirier said Monday envelopes containing ricin — a toxic substance found naturally in castor beans — had also been sent to Texas.
Contacted by The Canadian Press, the sheriff’s office in Hidalgo County, in southern Texas, referred all questions to the Twitter account of Sheriff Eddie Guerra. He posted late Monday afternoon, “I can confirm that envelopes, containing the deadly toxin ricin, was mailed to me and three of my detention staff.
“At this time due to (an) active federal investigation I cannot make any further comments. ... No injuries were sustained.”
Canadian law enforcement was called in to help the FBI investigate after American authorities found evidence the suspicious letter to the White House had originated in Canada.
The woman was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Fort Erie, Ont., and she is expected to face federal charges. Her name was not released.
There have been several prior instances in which U.S. officials have been targeted with ricin sent through the mail.
A Navy veteran in 2018 confessed to sending envelopes to Trump that contained the substance from which ricin is derived. The letters were intercepted.