U.S. prosecutors have charged another Chinese national for smuggling biological materials into the United States and lying about the scheme.
The Justice Department said that Han admitted to shipping an estimated five to 10 packages, while claiming several were lost in transit. She said that her professors at both the Chinese and U.S. universities, as well as the recipients, had no knowledge of what she sent, characterizing them as a “surprises,” according to the FBI agent.
The packages contain neither the correct documentation nor the permit required for importing roundworm-related materials, the complaint noted.
The shipments allegedly went to two recipients: one active member of the lab and another member of the faculty and staff at the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan.
Han initially lied to the customs agents at the airport about the content of the packages, claiming they were plastic cups and a book, according to a court filing. Pressed, she admitted that the packages contained petri dishes of nematode growth medium for growing roundworms, as well as small circular DNA molecules called plasmids in an envelope, the FBI agent said.
Han, who is studying at the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, arrived on an exchange visitor visa; she has an offer letter presenting her as a visiting scholar to the Michigan lab, according to prosecutors. Han told the FBI that she was coming to the University of Michigan for one year for her research on roundworms.
She stated that she had produced the desired plasmids using E. coli, and isolated and injected them into roundworms as a primary method for her research, according to the filing. The FBI agent noted that plasmids are often used as a vehicle for introducing genetic modifications in organisms like roundworms.
A U.S. consular officer initially rejected Han’s J1 visa application on March 18 due to her struggle to conduct the interview in English, which was essential for her obtaining the visa. She secured the visa successfully nine days later, with an officer noting that she “spoke credibly about her educational background, current studies, and post graduate plans,” the complaint stated.
Han tried to conceal the contents of the shipment with written notes and a book, including one reading: “Hello! This is a fun letter with interesting patterns. I hope you can enjoy the pleasure within it,” according to the court document.
Labels on the same note contain terms consistent with roundworm research, the filing said. Han allegedly told the customs agent she created a “picture game” in the book and that the recipient of her note would sequence the plasmids—a process taking about a week for each—to identify what they were “for fun,” the filing said.
Han allegedly deleted the content of her electronic device before coming to the United States. She stated she wanted to “start afresh” when questioned by federal agents.
Jerome Gorgon, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, said the alleged smuggling from a Wuhan university marks “part of an alarming pattern that threatens our security.”
“The American taxpayer should not be underwriting a PRC-based smuggling operation at one of our crucial public institutions,” he said in a statement, referring to China’s formal name, the People’s Republic of China.
John Nowak, Customs and Border Protection’s acting director of field operations, said the alleged actions compromise the integrity of U.S. research institutions.
“The guidelines for importing biological materials into the U.S. for research purposes are stringent, but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars,” he said, adding that his agency will not tolerate the smuggling of “potentially dangerous goods” through U.S. ports of entry.
