Two Chinese nationals face serious charges for trying to bring a dangerous fungus into the United States, according to reports from BBC News. Yunqing Jian, age 33, and Zunyong Liu, age 34, have been accused of conspiracy, smuggling goods, making false statements, and visa fraud by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The fungus they attempted to smuggle is called Fusarium graminearum, which can cause severe damage to important crops like wheat, barley, corn, and rice. Officials say this fungus can destroy crops and cause serious health problems, including vomiting and liver damage, if it gets into food. The BBC reports that Liu tried to bring the fungus through Detroit airport so he could study it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend Jian worked. Scientists describe this fungus as a potential weapon for agricultural terrorism, and it causes billions of dollars in crop losses around the world every year.
The case has raised major national security concerns, as detailed by ABC News coverage of the charges. Officials believe Jian received money from the Chinese government to research this dangerous pathogen while she was in China. They also claim she is a member of the Chinese Communist Party, which adds to the security worries. The investigation involved both the FBI and US Customs and Border Protection working together to uncover the smuggling attempt.
United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr called the allegations extremely serious national security concerns. ABC News reports that these two individuals have been charged with smuggling a fungus that experts describe as a potential agricultural terrorism weapon into America's heartland. The plan involved using a University of Michigan laboratory to continue their work with this dangerous material. The timing of these charges is significant because relations between the US and China have been getting worse recently.
The Guardian provides additional details about how the smuggling attempt was discovered and stopped. In July 2024, Liu was turned away at Detroit airport and sent back to China after he changed his story during questioning about red plant material found in his backpack. At first, he claimed he did not know anything about the samples, but later admitted he planned to use the material for research at the University of Michigan lab where Jian worked and where he had previously worked. FBI agents found a scientific article on Liu's phone titled "Plant-Pathogen Warfare under Changing Climate Conditions," which raised more suspicions.
The Guardian reports that messages between the two people in 2024 suggest Jian was already working with Fusarium graminearum at the campus lab before Liu was caught at the airport. The university does not have federal permits to handle this dangerous fungus. Since the US does not have an extradition treaty with China, Liu's arrest is unlikely unless he returns to America. Meanwhile, Jian appeared in court and was returned to jail to await a bond hearing.
Sources:
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.