US Drops Charges Against Three Chinese Scientists in Biological Materials Case

Three Chinese scientists at the University of Michigan, accused of aiding a colleague in smuggling biological materials—mostly harmless transparent worms—into the U.S., had their charges dismissed unexpectedly at the Justice Department's request. The researchers were jailed for over three months before returning to China. Defense lawyers indicated that the Chinese government intervened behind the scenes, though U.S. authorities declined to comment on this. The case, initially framed as a national security issue, ended without prosecution.