Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Smuggling Biological Materials to University of Michigan

Chengxuan Han, a Chinese national pursuing her Ph.D. at Huazhong University in Wuhan and a visiting scholar at the University of Michigan, has been arrested for allegedly smuggling biological materials into the U.S. and making false statements to Customs and Border Protection officers. Han reportedly sent four packages containing concealed biological material related to roundworms to a University of Michigan laboratory between 2024 and 2025, and deleted electronic evidence prior to her arrival in the U.S. This arrest marks the third case in under two weeks involving Chinese nationals with ties to the University of Michigan charged with smuggling biological materials. U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon condemned the smuggling as part of an alarming pattern threatening national security and criticized the use of taxpayer funds to support such operations at public institutions. FBI Special Agent Cheyvoryea Gibson emphasized the threat this poses to public safety and research integrity. Han faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and remains detained pending a hearing.