2 Chinese citizens accused of smuggling of a fungus ‘potential agroterism’ in us: doj

Two Chinese citizens have been accused of allegedly smuggling in the United States, a fungus called “Fusarium Graminearum, which scientific literature classifies as a weapon of potential agroterism,” the Department of Justice said Tuesday.

Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, allegedly received funds from the Chinese government for their investigation, some of which at the University of Michigan, officials said.

“The Complaint Also Alleges That Jian’s Electronics Contain Information Description HERMBERSHIP IN AND LOYALTY TO THE CHINEE COMMUNIST PART. But Than admitted to Smugglying Fusarium graminearum into America – Through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport – So That He Could Besto Research on it at the laboratory at the university of michigan where his girlfriend worked, Jian, “according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the Department of Justice “does not have a higher mission to keep the American people safe and protect our nation from hostile foreign actors that would hurt us.”

“Thanks to the hard work of our excellent lawyers from the Department of Justice, this defendant, who clandestinely tried to bring a destructive substance to the United States, will face years after bars,” said the attorney general.

The FBI says that it causes the “chuckle of the head”, a disease of wheat, barley, corn and rice, and is responsible for thousands of dollars in economic losses worldwide every year.

“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals, including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party, are the most serious national security concerns. These two aliens have been accused of smuggling of a fungus that has described as a ‘potential weapon of agroterism’ in the heart of the United States, where they apparently realized a laboratory of the University of Michigan to their scheme of a scheme of a scheme of a scheme of a scheme of a scheme Joined.

“Today’s criminal charges collected on Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu are indicative of CBP’s critical role in the protection of the American people of biological threats that could devastate our agricultural economy and cause harm to humans; especially when it comes to a researcher of a great university of a great university that clandestinely tries to bring climates of the biological materials to the United States. The United States and border protection and border protection, the Raybon field director, say clandestinely.

Jian was scheduled to appear Tuesday afternoon in a federal court in Detroit for his initial appearance on the complaint, the Department of Justice said.

The Affidavit alleges that Jian and Liu were dating, and also investigating the biological pathogen, and when asked about the smuggling of the pathogen in the United States, they lied to the authorities at the Detroit airport.

“On July 27, 2024, Liu entered the United States and told the authorities that he was visiting his girlfriend and then returned to China to begin his own laboratory in China. He allegedly said he had no work materials, but in a secondary detection of his luggage, the authorities found hidden handkerchiefs in Chinese, a round piece of filter paper with a series of circles in the circles of the circles. Reddish Reddish Rleosh of Reddish, of Reddish, of Redish, of Reded, of Redish, “, and four redioh plastic baggies. Said the affidavit.

He told the authorities that they did not know how the materials ended in their bag and suggested that someone placed them there without their knowledge, authorities said, but after interrogation, he admitted to having placed them in the bag.

It was not arrested at that time, the judicial records suggest.

“Liu declared that he intentionally hid the samples in his backpack because he knew there was restrictions on the importation of the materials,” according to the complaint. “Liu confirmed that he had intentionally put the samples in a wad of fabrics so that CBP officers are less likely to find and confiscate them, and could continue their research in the United States.”

The University of Michigan issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

“We firmly condemn any action that seeks to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university’s critical public mission,” said the school statement. “It is important to keep in mind that the University has not received funds from the Chinese government in relation to the investigation carried out by the accused individuals. We have and continue to cooperate with the Federal Police in their ongoing investigation and prosecution.”