The U.S. Secret Service has revealed that it intercepted 'potentially explosive devices' addressed to former President Barrack Obama and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
According to a statement by the service, the packages were identified during routine mail screening procedures.
"The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such. Both packages were intercepted prior to being delivered to their intended location. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them. The Secret Service has initiated a full scope criminal investigation that will leverage all available federal, state, and local resources to determine the source of the packages and identify those responsible," the agency's statement partly read.
Investigations have been launched by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to determine the source of the packages.
It is not clear what the intentions of the sender of the potentially lethal package were.
Former U.S presidents and presidential candidates are highly protected figures given the many security threats that they face.