The US House Committee on Energy and Commerce is reviewing concerns surrounding the National Institutes of Health after two NIH scientists were accused of attempting to bring mpox samples into the United States without proper disclosure and then misleading federal investigators.
Federal authorities allege that Dr. Vincent Munster, 53, a Dutch national who leads the virus ecology section at the NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana, and Claude Kwe, 38, a research fellow from Cameroon, transported vials containing monkeypox — now commonly referred to as mpox — into the US without declaring them to customs officials and later provided false statements about the materials.
Rocky Mountain Laboratories operates under the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and houses biosafety level 4 laboratories, the most secure level of biocontainment. Scientists there study some of the world’s most dangerous pathogens, including Ebola and Nipah virus, often through research involving animals such as bats and monkeys.
Munster is described as a highly published researcher, with roughly 400 scientific papers and about 69,000 citations to his name. Since 2023, he and Kwe have jointly authored 12 studies connected to mpox research.
According to a criminal complaint filed June 2, the two scientists arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Jan. 25 following a nine-day research trip to the Republic of Congo, where they had been studying the mpox strain associated with the country’s ongoing outbreak. Mpox is a viral illness that can cause fever, swollen lymph nodes and a painful rash. Across Africa, officials reported 80,276 suspected mpox cases and 1,340 deaths in 2024 alone.
In a news release, the US attorney’s office said Customs and Border Protection officers questioned the researchers about a “large black plastic case” they were carrying at the airport. The scientists allegedly said it contained “diagnostic and testing equipment.” A later inspection, however, reportedly found 113 sealed laboratory vials stored inside styrofoam coolers. When officers asked for the required paperwork, Munster allegedly responded: “Yes yes, it’s all in my laptop, but you won’t need them. I do this all the time.”
Investigators said laboratory testing has been completed on 20 of the vials to date. Of those, 17 allegedly contained “inactivated monkeypox virus,” one contained chickenpox virus and two contained human DNA. Officials have not publicly disclosed what was inside the remaining vials.
The importation of biological agents into the United States is tightly regulated, even when samples have been deactivated and are considered non-infectious. Prosecutors allege Munster and Kwe needed the proper authorization and documentation to carry the materials on a commercial flight and were required to declare them when entering the country.
Both Munster and Kwe were charged on 2 June with conspiracy to smuggle mpox into the US and giving false statements to federal law enforcement.
Announcing the charges, Jerome Gorgon Jr, a US attorney, said the allegations represented a serious breach of federal law. “These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo,” he said. “Let that sink in.”
Marcus Sykes, a special agent of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) office of inspector general, said: “Any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorisation is a breach of the public’s trust and could have placed the public at risk.”
Both men pleaded not guilty at a hearing in Missoula, Montana, on 3 June and were released on bail after surrendering their passports.
The case has triggered a congressional review. In a letter to the NIH director, Dr Jay Bhattacharya, dated 16 June, the House committee on energy and commerce requested details about Munster and Kwe’s work, the origin and transport of the biological samples, whether the NIH authorised or was aware of the trip, and the agency’s response after learning of the allegations.
The committee is also seeking a timeline of the NIH’s responses, including any prior compliance concerns involving the researchers, and whether they made false statements to the NIH or other federal agencies.
The criminal charges have also renewed scrutiny of Rocky Mountain Laboratories’ biosafety protocols.
In a 26 May letter to the HHS inspector general, T March Bell, Tim Sheehy, a Republican senator, called for an independent investigation into Rocky Mountain Laboratories’ biosecurity and personnel practices, citing a whistleblower complaint submitted to White Coat Waste. The organization has long criticised Munster’s taxpayer-funded animal research, arguing that it raises ethical, biosafety and national security concerns.
Sheehy pointed to two reported employee exposures to the potentially fatal Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, one involving a monkey bite and another a failure of protective clothing. Both exposures have since been confirmed by the NIH.
Sheehy also cited claims that Munster retained access to the high-containment lab after being detained by authorities. HHS did not respond to requests for comment.
An NIH spokesperson said the agency was notified of the airport incident in January and immediately implemented established protocols to secure laboratory facilities, research materials and biological samples: “NIH also took appropriate personnel actions and took all relevant steps to confirm that there was no risk at any time to staff or the public in or around the [Rocky Mountain Laboratories] facility,” the spokesperson said.
“This matter is currently under investigation, and NIH is cooperating fully with law enforcement. NIH leadership continues to prioritise biosafety across the agency and promote a culture of accountability, compliance, and responsible scientific research throughout the biomedical research enterprise.”
Munster and Kwe each face a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment if convicted. Kwe’s lawyer, Benton Martin, said: “Mr Kwe is presumed innocent and we will await further proceedings before commenting further.” Munster did not respond to requests for comment.
