A Chinese scientist was arrested at Detroit Airport upon arriving in the United States, marking the second case in recent days involving the alleged smuggling of biological material, authorities reported on Monday.
The researcher is accused of having sent biological material months ago to staff at a laboratory at the University of Michigan. According to an FBI court document, the material is related to certain worms and requires special government authorization for import.
“The guidelines for importing biological materials into the United States for research purposes are strict but clear. Actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars,” said John Nowak, who heads field operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The scientist was interviewed and detained on Sunday after arriving on a flight from China. She is currently pursuing an advanced degree at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan and had planned to spend a year working on a project at the University of Michigan.
According to the FBI, her shipments — including an envelope hidden inside a book — were intercepted by authorities last year and earlier this year.
The court document does not indicate whether the FBI believes the material was dangerous, although prosecutor Jerome Gorgon Jr. stated that this kind of smuggling “poses a threat to our security.”
This incident follows another case last week, in which the government accused two Chinese scientists of conspiring to smuggle a toxic fungus into the country. One of them was turned away at Detroit Airport and sent back to China last year, while the other — a researcher at the University of Michigan — was arrested and remains in custody.
