What began as a routine airport inspection has turned into a federal criminal case after two government scientists were accused of bringing undeclared mpox samples into the United States and allegedly misleading authorities about what they were carrying.
Two scientists working at a U.S. government research laboratory have been charged with smuggling biological materials into the United States after authorities said they brought undeclared samples of deactivated mpox virus from Africa and then denied carrying them when questioned by officials.
Federal prosecutors identified the scientists as Vincent Munster, chief of the Virus Ecology Section at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana, and research fellow Claude Kwe. The charges were unsealed Tuesday in federal court in Detroit.
According to investigators, the two men arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in January after spending several days in the Republic of Congo, where a major mpox outbreak had been underway.
Authorities said customs officers questioned the pair upon arrival and asked whether they were carrying any biological samples or research materials. Court documents allege that Munster strongly denied having such materials. Subsequent inspections, however, allegedly uncovered vials containing deactivated mpox virus that had not been declared or approved for entry into the country.
The case has attracted attention not because the virus was active, but because of the alleged failure to follow required procedures.
Federal officials stressed that biological materials entering the United States must be properly declared and authorized, regardless of whether they are active or deactivated.
“Any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorization is a breach of the public’s trust and could have placed the public at risk,” said Marcus Sykes of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
Investigators say the scientists were carrying multiple vials of research materials. Reports indicate some contained deactivated mpox virus, while others allegedly contained chickenpox virus samples and human DNA. Authorities have not suggested that the materials posed an immediate public health threat, but they maintain that strict import rules exist for a reason.
One detail in the complaint has drawn particular attention.
According to the FBI, Munster allegedly told investigators that documentation existed on his laptop but that it was unnecessary, reportedly saying, “I do this all the time.” Prosecutors argue those statements were false and form part of the criminal case.
The National Institutes of Health, which oversees Rocky Mountain Laboratories, said it is cooperating with the investigation but declined to discuss details because the matter remains active.
What remains unclear is why the samples were allegedly brought into the country without the required declarations.
Court filings do not provide a motive. However, both scientists have extensive backgrounds researching mpox and other emerging viruses, leading some observers to speculate that the materials may have been intended for research purposes. Authorities have not publicly confirmed that explanation.
The case comes just weeks after health officials declared the major mpox outbreak in Congo over. That outbreak had been linked to more than 2,000 deaths during a two-year period and attracted global attention from public health agencies.
For now, the focus is less on the virus itself and more on whether federal rules governing biological materials were broken.
The two scientists are expected to appear in federal court in Montana, where the case will move forward as investigators continue examining exactly how the samples were transported and why authorities say they were not properly declared.
