A Chinese PhD student from Wuhan has been arrested for smuggling biological materials into the US, marking the third Chinese national accused of similar activities in Michigan within a week.
At a Glance
- Chengxuan Han, a PhD student from Wuhan, allegedly smuggled roundworm-related biological materials to the University of Michigan in 2024-2025
- Han admitted to making false statements to US Customs and Border Protection officers and deleting evidence from her electronic devices
- This case follows two other recent arrests of Chinese nationals for smuggling biological materials into Michigan
- On the same day, another Chinese national, Shenghua Wen, pleaded guilty to exporting firearms and military items to North Korea
- US officials have expressed serious national security concerns over these smuggling operations
Third Chinese National Caught in Biological Smuggling Scheme
Chengxuan Han, a PhD student from the College of Life Science and Technology at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, has been arrested for allegedly smuggling biological substances into the United States. According to federal authorities, Han sent four packages containing concealed biological material related to roundworms to a laboratory at the University of Michigan between 2024 and 2025. The arrest comes as part of a widening investigation into the illegal transportation of potentially dangerous biological materials into the country.
Han was apprehended at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after arriving on a J1 visa. During a routine inspection, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered she had deleted content from her electronic device just three days prior to her arrival. In subsequent interviews with FBI and ICE agents, Han admitted to sending the packages and confessed to making false statements to CBP officers about her activities and intentions in the United States.
Part of a Concerning Pattern
Han is the third Chinese national to be accused of similar smuggling activities in Michigan within a single week. Earlier, researcher Yunqing Jian and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, were charged with smuggling Fusarium graminearum, a biological pathogen that can cause devastating diseases in crops and significant economic losses. Liu was caught with the pathogen hidden in his backpack at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July, while electronic messages revealed discussions between the couple about smuggling seeds into the US.
“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,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
The University of Michigan has condemned these actions and stated it had no Chinese government funding related to the accused researchers’ work. Meanwhile, the FBI Counterintelligence Division continues to investigate these cases, emphasizing the serious national security implications of such smuggling operations. Han is scheduled to appear in federal court in Detroit to face charges related to smuggling and making false statements.
Parallel Case: Weapons Smuggling to North Korea
In a separate but equally concerning development announced on the same day as Han’s arrest, another Chinese national, Shenghua Wen, pleaded guilty to exporting firearms and military items to North Korea. Wen, who entered the US on a student visa in 2012 and remained illegally after it expired in 2013, admitted to being directed by North Korean officials to obtain and smuggle firearms, sensitive technology, and ammunition from the US to North Korea via China.
“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals — including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party — are of the gravest national security concerns,” stated U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon.
According to court documents, Wen shipped at least three containers of firearms from California to China, which were then sent to North Korea in 2023. He falsified information to hide the illegal shipments and purchased a firearms business in Houston using approximately $2 million wired to him by North Korean contacts. Wen faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and 10 years for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government.
Diplomatic Tensions Rising
The Chinese Consulate General in Chicago has expressed concerns over the US law enforcement’s actions in these cases. In an official statement, the consulate opposed what it called “political manipulation” of the cases involving Chinese nationals. This comes as tensions between the United States and China continue to simmer over issues of intellectual property theft, economic espionage, and national security concerns.
As these cases progress through the American judicial system, security experts warn that they highlight vulnerabilities in border controls and academic collaborations that could potentially be exploited for purposes contrary to US national interests. The investigations are ongoing, with authorities remaining vigilant for similar attempts to circumvent US import regulations and export controls.
