NIH Researchers Charged with Smuggling Deactivated Mpox

Two researchers employed by the National Institutes of Health have been charged with smuggling deactivated mpox virus into the United States from Africa and lying to federal border agents about the contents of their luggage. The charges were announced Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Vincent Munster, 53, a citizen of the Netherlands, and Claude Kwe, 38, a citizen of Cameroon, work at the NIH's Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana. According to a criminal complaint, the men arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on January 25 after travel originating in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, where an outbreak of mpox was occurring. Upon inspection, Customs and Border Protection officers questioned the researchers about a large black plastic case they were carrying.

Officials allege Munster and Kwe falsely stated the case contained diagnostic and testing equipment. A subsequent investigation by CBP and the FBI revealed the case held 113 vials packed inside Styrofoam coolers. Testing conducted so far on 20 of the vials found that 17 contained deactivated mpox virus, one contained chickenpox virus, and two contained only human...