Two Scientists Charged in Mpox Virus Smuggling Case

DETROIT (AP) — Authorities announced Tuesday that two scientists from a U.S. government lab are facing charges for smuggling vials of deactivated mpox virus into the country from Africa, as well as for allegedly lying during interviews at a Michigan airport.

A criminal complaint was revealed in federal court in Detroit against Vincent Munster, who leads the virus ecology section at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, and his colleague, Claude Kwe.

The pair was detained at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in January after returning from a trip that included nine days in the Republic of Congo. An outbreak of mpox in Congo has been linked to over 2,000 deaths, although a two-year outbreak was declared over in April.

According to the FBI, Munster “adamantly denied” bringing any biological materials back to the U.S. However, subsequent tests indicated that both he and Kwe had vials of deactivated mpox that they had not declared or obtained the appropriate permits for.

Marcus Sykes from the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services commented, “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.”

As of now, Munster and Kwe have not responded to requests for comments and are expected to appear in federal court in Missoula, Montana, on Wednesday. An email seeking comment has also been sent to HHS, the lab’s governing body.

The court documents did not clarify why the scientists may have intended to bring the deactivated mpox virus to their lab. However, it’s noted they are experienced virologists with a focus on mpox research.

Munster reportedly informed investigators at the airport that any required documents were stored on his laptop but added, “you don’t need them. I do this all the time,” according to the FBI.

The FBI suggested that Munster’s comments about having the necessary documentation for customs officials were likely false.

The World Health Organization states that the typical symptoms of mpox include rash and fever, though it can lead to more severe illness in some cases. Generally, most individuals recover fully.

Historically, mpox, which was previously known as monkeypox, was first recognized by scientists in 1958 during outbreaks of a pox-like illness in monkeys. Until recent years, human cases were primarily found in central and West Africa, often in individuals closely interacting with infected animals.

In 2022, the virus was confirmed to spread sexually for the first time, resulting in outbreaks in over 70 countries where mpox had not previously been reported.