Chinese Ph.D. student charged in U.S. for smuggling biological materials and making false statements

Michigan [US], June 11, 2025 (ANI): Chengxuan Han, a People's Republic of China (PRC) citizen, was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with smuggling commodities into the United States and making false claims, according to a release from the US Attorney's Office.

Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Detroit Division, Acting Director of Field Operations John Nowak of US Customs and Border Protection, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit field office, according to a US Attorney Office release.

"According to the complaint, Han is a citizen of the PRC who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, PRC.

In 2024 and 2025, Han sent four packages to the United States from the PRC containing concealed biological material.

These packages were addressed to individuals associated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan.

On June 8, 2025, Han arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a J1 visa. Customs and Border Protection officers conducted an inspection of Han, during which Han made false statements about the packages and the biological materials she had previously shipped...