The United States is grappling with a new form of threat, as foreign researchers are being implicated in smuggling biological materials into the country.
The latest incident involves a post-doctoral researcher, Youhuang Xiang, who was charged with smuggling Escherichia coli (E. coli) into the U.S. and making false statements about it. The announcement was made by FBI Director Kash Patel, who refrained from disclosing the university associated with Xiang.
According to Fox News, Patel expressed his concern over the incident, stating, "This is yet another example of a researcher from China, given the privilege to work at a U.S. university, who then allegedly chose to take part in a scheme to circumvent U.S. laws and receive biological materials hidden in a package originating from China."
He emphasized the potential harm such actions could cause, noting, "If not properly controlled, E. coli and other biological materials could inflict devastating disease to U.S. crops and cause significant financial loss to the U.S. economy."
The FBI director commended the FBI Indianapolis and Chicago field offices for their diligent work on the case and expressed gratitude to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). He also issued a stern warning to universities, urging them to be vigilant of such trends. "Ensure your researchers know that there is a correct and legal way to obtain a license to import/export approved biological materials, and it must be followed without exception," Patel advised.
This incident is not an isolated case. Since the Trump administration initiated its immigration crackdown in January 2025, several visa holders have been apprehended for allegedly smuggling research materials. In November, the Justice Department charged three Chinese national scholars with conspiring to smuggle biological materials into the U.S. while working at a university laboratory. They were accused of making false statements to CBP officers to import materials related to roundworms from China.
"Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of research is a serious crime that threatens Americas national and agricultural security," Attorney General Pam Bondi stated. The suspects, Xu Bai, Fengfan Zhang, and Zhiyong Zhang, were participating in J-1 visa academic exchange programs at the University of Michigan's Shawn Xu Laboratory. They allegedly received concealed biological materials from a Chinese Ph.D. student in Wuhan, China, Chengxuan Han, who had previously been convicted of smuggling and making false statements before being removed from the U.S.
In another incident, Kseniia Petrova, a Russian-born scientist and Harvard University cancer researcher, was detained for allegedly smuggling frog embryos. Petrova's attorney claimed that she was transporting the embryos for a professor at a French lab collaborating with Harvard. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated,
"The individual was lawfully detained after lying to federal officers about carrying substances into the country. A subsequent K9 inspection uncovered undeclared petri dishes, containers of unknown substances, and loose vials of embryonic frog cells, all without proper permits."
These incidents underscore the need for stringent measures to prevent the smuggling of biological materials, which could potentially pose significant threats to national and agricultural security. As the story continues to unfold, it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and adherence to laws in the realm of scientific research.
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