Key facts
- Two NIH scientists, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, face charges of smuggling mpox virus into the U.S.
- The scientists allegedly transported 113 sealed laboratory vials from the Republic of Congo without proper declaration.
- The House Energy and Commerce Committee is investigating the NIH's handling of the incident and its biosafety protocols.
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, an NIH facility, is subject to renewed scrutiny over its biosecurity practices.
- Both scientists pleaded not guilty and were released on bail.
Two scientists affiliated with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been charged with allegedly smuggling mpox virus samples into the United States and misleading federal investigators. Dr. Vincent Munster, a Dutch national and chief of the virus ecology section at NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), and Claude Kwe, a research fellow from Cameroon, were apprehended on January 25 at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after a research trip to the Republic of Congo.
Federal law enforcement alleges that Munster and Kwe transported 113 sealed laboratory vials, packed in styrofoam coolers, without declaring them to customs. When questioned by Customs and Border Protection officials, they reportedly claimed the container held diagnostic and testing equipment. A subsequent inspection revealed the vials, with laboratory analysis confirming 17 contained inactivated mpox virus, one contained chickenpox virus, and two contained human DNA. The contents of the remaining vials are unidentified.
The importation of biological agents is subject to strict U.S. regulations, requiring authorization, documentation, and declaration upon entry. Prosecutors allege that Munster and Kwe violated these laws. Both men were charged on June 2 with conspiracy to smuggle mpox into the U.S. and making false statements to federal law enforcement. They pleaded not guilty at a hearing in Missoula, Montana, on June 3 and were released on bail after surrendering their passports.
The case has prompted a congressional review, with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce sending a letter to the NIH director on June 16 requesting details about the scientists' work, the origin and transport of the samples, NIH's awareness and response to the trip, and any prior compliance concerns. Senator Tim Sheehy has also called for an independent investigation into Rocky Mountain Laboratories' biosecurity and personnel practices, citing whistleblower complaints and past employee exposures to dangerous viruses.
An NIH spokesperson stated that the agency was notified in January, implemented protocols, took personnel actions, and is cooperating with law enforcement, asserting that no risk was posed to staff or the public. Munster and Kwe each face a maximum of five years in prison if convicted. Kwe's lawyer stated his client is presumed innocent.