Two foreign nationals working at a controversial U.S. biolab were charged on Tuesday with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States, along with making false statements to federal authorities.
Vincent Munster, a 53-year-old from the Netherlands and the head of the virus ecology division at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory—a high-security research facility in Hamilton, Montana—along with his subordinate, Claude Kwe, a 38-year-old from Cameroon, were detained by Customs and Border Protection agents at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on January 25. They were found with a black case that was reportedly filled with viral material.
The two reportedly informed CBP officials that the cases they carried from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where a monkeypox outbreak was occurring, contained diagnostic and testing equipment. However, federal investigators determined that the case held 113 vials in Styrofoam containers, as stated by the Justice Department.
The FBI analyzed 20 of these vials and discovered that 17 contained inactivated monkeypox virus, while one contained varicella virus and two contained human DNA.
Monkeypox is related to smallpox, and while it’s endemic in certain parts of Africa, it became a global epidemic in early 2022. In the West, transmission has predominantly occurred among homosexual men.
A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine indicated that between April 27 and June 24, 2022, 98% of 528 diagnosed cases involved gay men, with “suspected transmission occurring through sexual activity in 95% of cases.”
Symptoms for those infected with monkeypox often include a painful rash resembling blisters or acne, respiratory issues, fatigue, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and chills. The virus can spread through respiratory droplets, direct contact with an infected person’s rash or sores, and contact with items like clothing or bedding used by the infected individual.
Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed that the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which oversees the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, is fully cooperating with law enforcement regarding the case against Munster and Kwe. She mentioned that NIH was made aware of the events at the Detroit airport in January and took immediate measures to safeguard the lab facilities and materials involved.
These precautions included securing the lab space, restricting access to affected areas, and performing audits to ensure all materials were accounted for in line with health and safety policies.
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Jr. expressed concern over the smuggling charges, stating that NIH experts appeared to have violated laws by attempting to bring a viral pathogen from the Congo onto a passenger jet. He emphasized that such actions undermine public trust and carry significant risks.
Both Munster and Kwe could face up to five years in prison. Neither the researchers nor HHS provided comments regarding inquiries about the situation.
Dr. Richard H. Ebright, from Rutgers University, criticized Munster, characterizing him as emblematic of a troubling disregard for biosafety and the rule of law in virology. Dr. Robert Malone, a biochemist, suggested that this incident is even more significant than tariff-related issues.
In April 2024, Senator Rand Paul highlighted that the Rocky Mountain Laboratory had connections to EcoHealth Alliance’s DEFUSE proposal, which had been rejected by DARPA due to biosafety risks. Munster is recognized as a senior researcher involved in various viral research efforts, including investigations into SARS-CoV-2.
Kwe also has a role in research through the NIH and collaborated with Munster on monkeypox studies. The pair co-authored research assessing the risks associated with monkeypox and pandemic preparedness.
The legal troubles for Munster and Kwe arrived shortly after the White Coat Waste Project, a watchdog group, exposed ties to previous controversies linked to bio-research practices and possible gain-of-function experiments overseen by Anthony Fauci at the Wuhan Laboratory.
In a whistleblower report, Munster was depicted as someone who prioritized personal gain in scientific pursuits, and accusations were made that NIH tried to cover up the situation after vials were found in Munster’s baggage.
Additional scandals have surfaced at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, with reports about infection involving another dangerous virus, yet the NIH has stated there has been no public health risk.
In a letter, Republican Senator Tim Sheehy expressed concerns regarding the facility’s safety protocols and the disclosures about Munster’s activities, prompting a formal investigation.
