Chinese Student Charged with Smuggling Biological Materials to U.S.
Chengxuan Han, a Chinese national and Ph.D. student at Wuhan’s College of Life Science and Technology, has been charged with smuggling biological materials from China to the University of Michigan and making false statements to customs officials. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Han initially denied mailing packages containing undeclared biological materials to the University of Michigan laboratory but later admitted to sending them.
During a customs inspection at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Han was subjected to an inspection by customs and border protection (CBP) officers. She initially told the officials that the packages contained plastic cups and a book, but eventually admitted they contained biological materials. The FBI and Homeland Security officials spoke with Han, where she allegedly admitted to previously lying to CBP officers and acknowledging the packages’ content.
Biological samples, such as plasmids, are often concealed within books to avoid detection, as stated in the criminal complaint. Han’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The FBI stated its zero tolerance for those who violate federal law and emphasized the threat to national security posed by the smuggling of biological materials by Han. The U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon also highlighted the concern over the PRC-based smuggling operation at a crucial public institution.
Chengxuan Han is scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing on June 13. The incident comes amid a series of arrests involving Chinese nationals accused of smuggling sensitive items into the U.S., highlighting growing concerns about the security risks posed by such actions.