Police: Substance found at Rockford high school not heroin

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) - Authorities say a substantial amount of white powder found inside of a package at a Rockford high school last month wasn't actually heroin.

Assistant Deputy Chief Patrick Hoey said Monday that a forensic analysis conducted by the Illinois State Police Crime Lab determined the substance discovered at Jefferson High School on Jan. 16 had no traces of any controlled substance. Although the analysis didn't show what the powder was, Hoey said it looked like flour.

According to a press release, a field test originally performed on the substance indicated it was heroin. But Hoey said it isn't uncommon for field test kits to produce a false positive result, which is why all suspected controlled substances are forensically analyzed.

Initial news reports said someone was arrested in connection with the incident, but that information was inaccurate.