Federal Case Involves Package Labeled as Women’s Underwear

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (WOWO) A former Indiana University postdoctoral researcher has been sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to smuggling biological material into the United States.

Thirty-two-year-old Youhuang Xiang admitted to concealing E. coli DNA from China inside an international shipment that was falsely labeled as women’s underwear, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana.

Federal prosecutors say the shipment was part of an investigation into suspicious international packages sent to individuals affiliated with Indiana University. Authorities determined the material had been intentionally concealed to avoid detection by customs officials.

Court records show Xiang was sentenced to more than four months in prison, ordered to pay a fine, and placed under supervised release following his conviction.

As part of his plea agreement, he also agreed to a judicial order of removal, meaning he will be deported to China after completing his sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana.

Federal investigators say the case involved coordinated work between the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, focusing on the unlawful importation of biological materials into the United States.

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