Two Chinese nationals have been arrested and charged with smuggling a highly dangerous type of fungus into the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit.
Both suspects apparently have connections to the Chinese communist party, with one working in a University of Michigan science lab before her arrest this week, per a recent press release.
The fungus in question, “Fusarium graminearum,” is known to cause a devastating disease called “head blight” in wheat, barley, maize, and rice – posing a serious threat to America’s agriculture and food supply industries.
Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, both citizens of the People’s Republic of China, now face felony charges, including conspiracy, smuggling goods, making false statements, and visa fraud.
Officials claim that the pair intended to use the University of Michigan’s lab facilities to research the fungus after smuggling it through Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
According to court documents, Jian reportedly received funding from the Chinese government for work related to the highly toxic pathogen. Investigators also say her electronic devices contained evidence of her extremely close ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Her boyfriend, Liu, allegedly admitted to smuggling the fungus into America to “work on it” alongside Jian.
“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals- including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party – are of the gravest national security concerns. These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America,” said Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Fusarium graminearum has already caused billions of dollars in crop losses worldwide and can produce toxins that harm both humans and livestock, including vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive issues.
Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, explained that this case highlights how other countries, especially those with contentious relationships with America, might exploit legitimate academic opportunities to do illegal research.
Or worse, attack the country’s economy.
“These individuals exploited their access to laboratory facilities at a local university to engage in the smuggling of biological pathogens, an act that posed an imminent threat to public safety,” Gibson said.
CBP’s Director of Field Operations, Marty C. Raybon, added that the charges show the importance of safeguarding America’s agricultural industry from foreign threats.
“Today’s criminal charges levied upon Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu are indicative of CBP’s critical role in protecting the American people from biological threats that could devastate our agricultural economy and cause harm to humans; especially when it involves a researcher from a major university attempting to clandestinely bring potentially harmful biological materials into the United States,” Raybon said.
Jian is expected to make her first court appearance this week in federal court in Detroit. Liu’s status has not yet been publicly disclosed as of the time of publication.