Two researchers with the National Institutes of Health have been charged with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and giving false statements to federal law enforcement. The researchers, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were caught at the Detroit Metro Airport with 113 vials of biological samples, including deactivated monkeypox virus, chickenpox virus, and human DNA.
It appears that the Detroit Metropolitan Airport is the gateway for illegal imported biological samples to make their way into the country. Classified in scientific literature as a potential agroterrorism weapon, these samples are smuggled through the Detroit Metro Airport .
Yunqing Jian was sentenced to time served, about five months in custody, with removal back to China. Her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, remains charged but outside U.S. custody, having been denied entry and considered at large. Two NIH researchers, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, have been charged in a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox-related materials into the country via Detroit Metro Airport and making false statements to federal authorities.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Munster and Kwe provided federal authorities with false statements after arriving at the McNamara Terminal on January 25, 2026. Officials say the two researchers originally traveled from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where an mpox outbreak was ongoing. Customs and Border Protection officials spotted the individuals with a black plastic case. When asked, Munster and Kwe told federal officials the case was carrying diagnostic and testing equipment.
Further inspection uncovered 113 vials in styrofoam coolers. The FBI tested 20 of the vials shortly after the discovery, and 17 of those vials contained deactivated monkeypox virus, while another contained the chickenpox virus and two others contained human DNA. No researchers should believe their positions, credentials, or professional status place them above the law, said Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office.
The allegations in this case are serious, involving the dangerous and unlawful smuggling of deactivated Mpox virus into the United States and alleged efforts to mislead our federal agents. Vincent Munster, a citizen of the Netherlands, and Claude Kwe, a citizen of Cameroon, are accused of providing federal authorities with false statements after arriving at the McNamara Terminal on January 25, 2026.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Munster is the chief of the Virus Ecology Section at National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Rocky Mountain Laboratories. He is a virologist specializing in virus emergence and zoonotic transmission who leads research on highly virulent and transmissible pathogens, including Dr. Munster leads a dedicated team of researchers with the overall goal of understanding the drivers of virus emergence.
The main objectives of the VES research program include identification of the underlying biotic or abiotic changes in virus-host ecology that allow these emerging viral pathogens to cross the species barrier. He combines field and basic research, with a special emphasis placed on studying the virus and host ecology of high and maximum containment pathogens such as filoviruses, coronaviruses, and henipaviruses.
Insufficient understanding of the ecology and evolution of high and maximum containment pathogens has been a major hindrance to the development of successful preemptive strategies to control zoonosis and transmission of these deadly pathogens. Dr. Munster has been actively involved in the response to MERS-CoV, Ebola virus, COVID-19, and mpox outbreaks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was actively involved in the development of medical countermeasures and providing critical experimental data supporting direct public health decisions and interventions.
As a reminder, Dr. Anthony Fauci served as the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). It appears that Munster may have followed the Fauci example of not strictly adhering to the rules and regulations guiding the handling of potentially infectious materials, such as the SARS-like strain WIV-1-CoV.
He co-authored a 2018 study showing that this virus did not establish robust infection in Egyptian fruit bats, and has been involved with long-term field programs in the Republic of Congo examining fruit bats as reservoirs for viruses like Ebola. Apparently, it was his nervousness that led agents to take a look at their baggage. 2/8 CBP officers at the airport noticed nervous behavior.
They watched as someone (KWE) retrieved a large black case and placed it on a cart next to an unknown individual. One of the vials contained chickenpox, another rash-causing virus that can be dangerous for children and people with weakened immune systems, the Justice Department said. The two other vials tested contained human DNA, the department said.
These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo, said Jerome F
NIH Monkeypox Smuggling Detroit Metro Airport Biological Samples Viral Pathogens Researchers Federal Law Enforcement Crime Justice
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Two Paddleboarders Missing After Falling Into Browning Lake Identified as Filipino CoupleFamily confirms Genesis Jeru Bague and Mariz Bello, recent immigrants from the Philippines, went missing after falling from a paddleboard at Murrin Provincial Park. Extensive search efforts by multiple agencies continue.
Read more »
Senne Lammens Named Manchester United's Signing of the Season by BBC Radio ManchesterGoalkeeper Senne Lammens has been voted Manchester United's signing of the season for his stellar debut campaign, replacing the inconsistent Andre Onana. The 23-year-old's composure and shot-stopping have been key to United's third-place finish.
Read more »
The Isak saga which damaged two seasonsAlexander Isak's move from Newcastle United to Liverpool was the transfer saga of last summer. BBC Sport looks at how it ended up affecting both clubs.
Read more »
Canada Faces Tariff Threat Over Forced Labour in Supply ChainsCanada is facing a tariff threat from the United States over its handling of forced labour in supply chains. The United States Trade Representative has proposed a 10 per cent additional tariff on Canada and other countries that are not taking adequate measures to prevent the importation of goods made with forced labour. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that his government will introduce legislation to combat forced labour in supply chains. The new legislation is expected in the coming weeks.
Read more »