Chinese national arrested at Detroit Airport for allegedly smuggling biological material
second such case in a week
Washington DC: A Chinese national identified as Chengxuan Han was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Sunday for allegedly smuggling biological material into the United States and providing false information to federal officials. This marks the second such arrest involving Chinese nationals within a week.
According to the FBI, Han, a Ph.D. student from Wuhan, China, had earlier sent four packages from China to individuals affiliated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan. The contents reportedly included biological material related to roundworms, which require a government permit for import.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrest in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Han also allegedly erased data from her electronic device days before her arrival in the US and made false statements about the packages during her questioning at the airport. In a follow-up interview with FBI and ICE HSI agents, Han admitted to both sending the biological materials and misleading authorities about their contents.
"This case is part of a broader effort from the FBI and our federal partners to heavily crack down on similar pathogen smuggling operations, as the CCP works relentlessly to undermine America’s research institutions," Patel said.
Earlier this month, two other Chinese nationals—Yunqing Jian (33) and Zunyong Liu (34)—were charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the US, making false statements, and visa fraud. They allegedly attempted to smuggle a dangerous biological pathogen into the country for research at the same university laboratory.
Investigations into all three cases are ongoing.
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Defamation case: Rahul alleges political malice; UP court sets March 9 hearing
Sultanpur (UP) (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday appeared before an MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur and recorded his statement in a 2018 defamation case related to his remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Gandhi told the court of Special Judge Shubham Verma that the allegations against him were made out of political malice and with an aim of destroying his image and that of his party, the Congress leader's advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla told PTI.
The court fixed March 9 as the next date of hearing on which the Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli has been asked to furnish evidence in his defence, the lawyer said.
Elaborating about the statement given by the Congress leader in the court, his lawyer said Gandhi denied all allegations levelled against him.
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"The allegations are baseless and unfounded. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone. A false complaint has been filed by distorting my statement," Shukla quoted Gandhi as saying.
"The allegations have been made against me out of political malice with the aim of destroying my image and that of my party. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone," Gandhi told the court
As the Congress leader emerged from the court after recording his statement, party supporters raised slogans hailing him. Gandhi smiled and waved at the crowd before leaving.
Gandhi entered the Sultanpur court around 10.40 am and left after recording statements around 11.15 am.
Ahead of the court hearing, some local Congress leaders had put up posters in Sultanpur that read 'Satyamev Jayate' (truth always triumphs).
The case dates back to 2018 when local BJP leader and former chairman of the District Cooperative Bank Vijay Mishra had filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi, alleging that during the Karnataka elections in 2018, the Congress leader made derogatory remarks against the then BJP president and current Union Home Minister Shah.
Santosh Kumar Pandey, the lawyer representing Mishra, said the cross-examination of the plaintiff and two witnesses has been completed.
The trial has been underway for the past five years. In December 2023, a warrant was issued against Gandhi for non-appearance before the court. He surrendered in February 2024, following which a special magistrate granted him bail on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each.
On July 26, 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement before the court, claiming innocence and terming the case a political conspiracy. Thereafter, the court directed the complainant to produce evidence in the case.
