Third Chinese national arrested in US over smuggling of biological materials

A third Chinese national has been arrested in the United States for allegedly smuggling biological materials into the country, marking the latest in a string of such incidents within a week. The individual, identified as Chengxuan Han, was detained by authorities at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on June 8.

Han, a student from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, arrived in the US carrying four packages of biological material related to roundworms, reportedly addressed to individuals at the University of Michigan.

According to officials, one of the packages was concealed inside a book.

In addition to smuggling charges, Han is accused of wiping data from an electronic device before landing, prompting suspicion that she was attempting to hide information. She has been charged with smuggling goods into the United States and making false statements to federal agents.

This arrest follows the detention of two other Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian (33) and Zunyong Liu (34), at the same airport days earlier.

The couple was found with samples of Fusarium graminearum, a toxin-producing fungus harmful to corn, wheat, and barley crops. They allegedly failed to declare the materials and did not possess the required federal permits.

The fungus, known to cause blight and produce harmful mycotoxins, poses a potential threat to both agriculture and public health. The samples were intended for a lab at the University of Michigan, where the couple had previously worked.

Authorities say the case is part of a wider federal crackdown on the illegal trafficking of biological materials by individuals linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), especially those affiliated with academic institutions in the United States.

Commenting on the series of arrests, an expert on China, Gordon Chang warned of more serious consequences. Speaking to Fox News, Chang described the smuggling of Fusarium graminearum as a possible act of agroterrorism and said that threats of this nature could be "worse than COVID" if left unchecked.

He cited studies describing the fungus as a biological warfare agent capable of targeting agriculture and disrupting food supplies.

Chang urged the US to take stronger measures against such incidents, including reconsidering its engagement with China, to prevent larger-scale biological threats.