Chinese Ph.D. student charged with smuggling biological materials into US
A Chinese citizen has been charged with smuggling goods into the country. The arrest came less than a week after federal authorities arrested a couple from China caught bringing in what federal authorities claimed was potential agroterrorism material.
Chinese Ph.D. student accused of concealment
Chengxuan Han is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) studying to receive her Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, China. Authorities said Han, in 2024 and 2025, sent packages from China to the United States “containing concealed biological material.”
The DOJ said the packages were addressed to individuals associated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan.
Han arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Sunday, June 8. Upon her arrival, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted a routine border inspection, a standard legal process. During the inspection, federal agents said Han lied to CBP officers about the packages and biological materials she had previously sent to the U.S.
“All four of the packages were improperly manifested and did not contain the proper documentation for importation,” the complaint stated. “Additionally, the package containing the handwritten note showed signs of concealment.”
CBP found that Han had wiped her phone just three days before traveling to the U.S. After CBP’s inspection, FBI and ICE HSI agents interviewed Han.
The DOJ said Han admitted to sending packages to the U.S. containing biological materials related to roundworms and also admitted to lying during the CBP inspection.
“The FBI has zero tolerance for those who violate federal law and remains unwavering in our mission to protect the American people,” Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said in a statement. “The alleged smuggling of biological materials by Chengxuan Han is a direct threat to public safety and national security, and it severely compromises the integrity of our nation’s research institutions.”
Arrest follows separate agroterrorism allegations
Han’s arrest came less than a week after a separate incident involving a couple from China who were apprehended for allegedly attempting to bring materials identified by federal authorities as potential agents of agroterrorism into the U.S.
Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced federal charges against Zunyong Liu, 34, and his girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, 33, for conspiring to illegally import a dangerous biological pathogen into the United States for use in research at a University of Michigan laboratory. Both individuals were also charged with making false statements to federal investigators.
FBI officials reported that Liu was found in possession of small bags containing Fusarium graminearum, a harmful fungus known to cause fusarium head blight. This disease significantly impacts staple crops such as wheat, barley and rice, resulting in billions of dollars in agricultural losses globally each year.
In addition to its economic impact, the fungus produces toxins that are hazardous to human and animal health, potentially causing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever, liver damage and has been associated with birth defects. Prosecutors said possession of this pathogen raises serious concerns due to its potential use in agricultural sabotage or bioterrorism.
What’s next in cases?
The FBI and CBP have opened investigations into both cases. Han’s detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
