A Chinese doctoral student was arrested Sunday at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after allegedly attempting to smuggle undeclared biological materials into the United States and providing false information to federal officials.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) formally announced charges on Monday, marking the third case in just over a week involving Chinese researchers and suspicious biological shipments to the U.S.
Chengxuan Han, a Chinese national pursuing her Ph.D. at the College of Life Science and Technology at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, reportedly sent multiple packages containing biological substances related to roundworms to a University of Michigan laboratory ahead of her arrival on June 8.
Federal investigators say Han denied knowledge of the shipments when initially questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).Â
She later admitted to sending the packages, acknowledged that they contained biological material and confessed to providing false statements during the customs interview.
The FBI, CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are jointly investigating the matter, Just the News reports.
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. issued a statement condemning the alleged activity.
“The alleged smuggling of biological materials by this alien from a science and technology university in Wuhan, China—to be used at a University of Michigan laboratory—is part of an alarming pattern that threatens our security,” he said.Â
“The American taxpayer should not be underwriting a PRC-based smuggling operation at one of our crucial public institutions.”
Han faces federal charges of smuggling and making false statements to government officials, both of which carry significant legal penalties.
She was taken into custody shortly after arriving in the U.S.
This case follows a similar DOJ action just one week earlier, when two other Chinese researchers were charged with attempting to smuggle fusarium graminearum, a fungus classified by experts as a potential agroterrorism threat due to its ability to damage American crops.
While there is no indication that the University of Michigan laboratory receiving the packages was complicit in the smuggling, the case has heightened scrutiny of foreign partnerships within American research institutions.
Authorities have not disclosed whether anyone at the university had prior knowledge of the shipments.
Han’s connection to a university based in Wuhan—the same city home to the Wuhan Institute of Virology—has drawn increased attention among officials, although no direct link to that institute has been established in this investigation.
The DOJ emphasized that the investigation remains active, with officials continuing to examine the biological samples’ potential risks to public health, agriculture and national security.
This growing number of cases involving Chinese researchers has raised concern within federal law enforcement about possible patterns of unauthorized transfers of scientific materials into the U.S. under false pretenses.
Federal agencies have intensified efforts to monitor collaborations between American institutions and foreign nationals to protect sensitive scientific research and national security interests.
As investigations progress, authorities warn that additional developments may emerge, potentially revealing more extensive efforts to circumvent U.S. biosecurity controls.
These recent arrests highlight ongoing challenges faced by the U.S. government in safeguarding critical research from foreign exploitation.
