FBI increasing enforcement on research-related smuggling BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) – The FBI believes an Indiana University researcher caught smuggling biological material was working on behalf of the Chinese government.  Youhuang Xiang admitted to ordering plasmid DNA derived from E. coli, which was shipped from China to Bloomington in a package labeled as women’s underwear. Experts say the material wasn’t harmful, but according to court records Xiang admitted it was intentionally mislabeled. Xiang’s visa was terminated and he will be deported. Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Indianapolis field office, Timothy O’Malley, said Xiang “absolutely was a domestic threat.” “Maybe not to our health in this circumstance but certainly to our industries,” O’Malley said. “I think the plot here was more related to the theft of research and development technology. And potentially to advance the research of another country at our expense.”  O’Malley said investigators believe Xiang was working on behalf of the Chinese government.  But a professor who oversaw his research claims this kind of smuggling is not uncommon in biology research. Distinguished professor at Indiana University, Roger Innes, believes Xiang’s arrest was “100% politically motivated.” Because of the contentious relationship between China and the United States, Innes said it’s become common for labs in China to conceal research samples sent to the US to avoid Chinese restrictions.  The FBI has discovered a trend of smuggled research material, leading to at least five Chinese-nationals at the University of Michigan being charged. Innes believes Chinese researchers are being targeted by U.S. authorities for their nationality instead of their actions. “This is McCarthyism,” Innes said. “He was arrested because the contents of the package did not declare plasma DNA on the outside, but there was no safety risk. No intention of harm.” O’Malley pushed back on that idea, saying Xiang could have declared the package’s contents when it arrived. “Nationwide it’s a big issue. It’s actually huge,” O’Malley said. “We’re working at all the major ports across the country to identify biological threats.” While not condemning Xiang’s arrest, Congressman Andre Carson, who serves on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, raised concerns. “The FBI and DOJ should be pursuing real, evidence-based threats,” Rep. Carson, D-Indianapolis, said in a statement. “While America should certainly enforce our customs laws and prevent the smuggling of unregulated materials, we must ensure these laws are enforced evenly and not on the basis of national origin.” Innes said the university has ordered him to stop importing or exporting any materials for research, and he’s yet to receive notebooks and laptops confiscated by authorities. But the FBI said the IU biology department is not under suspicion. Indiana University wouldn’t answer I-Team’s specific questions. A spokesperson said in a statement “To ensure the integrity of Indiana University’s research mission, we expect all faculty, staff and students to follow IU policy as well as state and federal laws.” Statement from Rep. Andre Carson “I’ve been consistent throughout my career that enforcement must follow evidence, not ethnicity. The FBI and DOJ should be pursuing real, evidence-based threats. While America should certainly enforce our customs laws and prevent the smuggling of unregulated materials, we must ensure these laws are enforced evenly and not on the basis of national origin. When someone admits to concealing biological material and smuggling it internationally, the law must be enforced — but we should avoid creating a climate of fear.” ...read more read less