House Select Committee uncovers secret biolab in California with ties to China
Known to use multiple aliases, Zhu was apprehended in October. The charges against him include producing and distributing medical devices that were incorrectly branded, violating the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), and providing false information to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The newly formed House Select Committee focusing on the People's Republic of China (PRC) has recently disclosed information regarding a clandestine biolaboratory in California. The committee's investigation reveals that the lab's proprietor, Jia Bei Zhu, 62, allegedly maintains a close association with the Chinese government.
The committee's findings indicate that Zhu, a Canadian fugitive and citizen of the PRC, is accused of expropriating vast amounts of intellectual property from U.S. companies. This theft is part of a broader international criminal network with links to the PRC, Fox News reports.
The investigation into Universal Meditech Inc., Zhu's laboratory in Reedley, California, began in December 2022. The facility caught attention when Jesalyn Harper, a Code Enforcement Officer, spotted an unusual green garden hose protruding from a hole in the building, leading to a notification of a code violation.
A more thorough examination of the premises revealed a variety of high-value items including sophisticated lab equipment, manufacturing machinery, and what seemed to be medical-grade freezers within the dimly lit warehouse.
Harper noted the presence of several individuals in lab attire during her inspection, who identified themselves as nationals of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Delving deeper into the extensive warehouse, Harper observed that some of the storage units, particularly freezers and containment devices, featured transparent glass doors, with vials of biological substances unlabeled, or labeled in Mandarin or code.
The city also found approximately 1,000 transgenic mice. These are mice used for research of human disease, which biolab workers told them were, "genetically engineered to catch and carry the COVID-19 virus."
The House Select Committee on the PRC reported that when local authorities tried to get in touch with the FBI and the CDC regarding the matter, both federal agencies opted not to pursue an investigation.
Eventually, local authorities reached out to their congressional representative, Jim Costa, seeking his support in securing federal aid, and with the intervention of Costa, the CDC conducted an inspection of the Reedley Biolab in May 2023.
The CDC reported that the warehouse contained "at least 20 potentially infectious agents," including HIV, Tuberculosis, and the deadliest known form of Malaria.
Meanwhile, "risk group 3" includes pathogens "associated with serious or lethal human disease for which preventive or therapeutic interventions may be available. These agents represent a high risk to an individual but a low risk to the community."
In a report, the CDC encapsulated its findings, noting there is "no evidence of select agents or toxins." The report led to state and local officials being instructed to dispose of evidence from the facility, contingent on a court order, as reported by the committee.
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By Alex Dhaliwal
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