U.S. officials announced Monday the arrest of a Chinese researcher for allegedly smuggling biological samples into the country—marking the second such case in recent days.
The FBI stated in a criminal complaint that Chengxuan Han, a doctoral student from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, was taken into custody Sunday at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Authorities allege that since September, Han had mailed four shipments from China containing hidden biological materials to a lab at the University of Michigan, where she was set to work on a year-long research project. Upon arriving in the U.S. from Shanghai, she reportedly gave false statements about the shipments when questioned by federal agents.
This follows another case last week in which two Chinese nationals were charged after the FBI accused one of attempting to smuggle a harmful fungus into the U.S. for research at the same university. One suspect, a university researcher, was arrested and remains detained, while the other was barred from entering the country last year and is still wanted.
The complaint claims Han concealed the biological material—related to roundworms and requiring a government permit—inside items such as books.
It also alleges that three days before arriving in Detroit, Han erased data from her electronic device, telling investigators she did so to "start fresh" during her U.S. stay.
Han is currently detained pending a bond hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
Source: NBC News
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