Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu allegedly brought into the US a fungus which damages a variety of crops and is toxic to humans and animals.

Two Chinese nationals have been accused of smuggling a fungus into the US that officials describe as a “dangerous biological pathogen”.

Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods, false statements, and visa fraud, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced on Tuesday.

The complaint alleges Mr Liu tried to smuggle the fungus through Detroit airport so he could study it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend, Ms Jian, worked.

The fungus called Fusarium graminearum can cause a disease in wheat, barley, maize and rice that can wipe out crops and lead to vomiting and liver damage if it gets into food.

  • dhork@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17·
    10 days ago

    In today’s environment, a Chinese national asking for special permission to do science is equivalent to putting a big sticky note on his own back saying “deport me”. He shouldn’t have smuggled it, but asking permission wouldn’t have worked at all.

    Sadly, his best bet would have been to take his research somewhere else. (Edited to add: oh wait, it was the girlfriend’s research? Now they’re both getting deported)