Two NIH Researchers Charged with Smuggling Mpox Virus into U.S.
Two foreign nationals working at the NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratory—Dutch virologist Vincent Munster and Cameroonian researcher Claude Kwe—have been charged with smuggling 113 vials of mpox from the Republic of the Congo into the U.S. on a commercial flight in January, falsely declaring the materials as diagnostic equipment. The vials contained deactivated mpox virus, chickenpox, and human DNA, according to federal prosecutors. The case raises questions about biosafety protocols at federal research institutions and the handling of dangerous pathogens.
On January 25, Vincent Munster, 53, chief of the virology section at NIH's Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Montana, and Claude Kwe, 38, a research fellow under Munster, traveled from the Republic of the Congo to Detroit with a black case containing 113 vials in Styrofoam coolers. They told U.S. Customs and Border Protection the case held diagnostic and testing equipment, but federal prosecutors say it actually contained viral samples. Testing of 20 vials found 17 contained deactivated mpox, one contained chickenpox, and two contained human DNA. Both men face charges of conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox and making false statements to federal law enforcement. Munster's attorney argued the case is being portrayed as more serious than it is, stating the researchers were working to eradicate mpox, while the NIH said it is cooperating with law enforcement on the ongoing investigation.
What's missing
The specific regulatory framework governing the transport of viral samples by NIH researchers and whether proper permits or approvals were sought before the trip are not detailed in the reporting.
What different sources said
- Washington TimesRight
Two foreign nationals working at NIH laboratory charged with smuggling mpox virus into the U.S.
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