Chinese researcher accused of trying to smuggle vials of ‘biological material’ out of US hidden in a sock
- An affidavit from an FBI agent says Zheng Zaosong was detained at Boston Airport after vials containing a ‘brown liquid’ were found in his checked baggage
- The doctoral student who had been doing research at Beth Israel Hospital faces charges of ‘making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements’ to US agents
A Chinese medical researcher was arrested in Boston earlier this month on suspicion of trying to take stolen biological samples back to China, according to an affidavit by an FBI agent.
According to the agent’s testimony, published with redactions on Universal Hub, a community news and information site for the Boston area, Zheng Zaosong, 29, was questioned at Logan International Airport on December 9.
FBI Special Agent Kara Spice said 21 wrapped vials containing a “brown liquid” that appeared to be “biological material” were found in a sock during an inspection of his checked baggage.
He is now under investigation for attempting to bring undeclared biological samples back to China and making “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to US customs.
Zheng, a doctoral student at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, had been doing research at the Boston-based Beth Israel Hospital and was due to catch a flight to Beijing.
