Samples in vials seized at airport harmless

Mysterious biological samples packaged in dry ice were seized from a professor who landed at Detroit Metropolitan Airport last month.

On Nov. 14, a travelling scholar from Poland failed to declare research materials and was referred to secondary inspection, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release on Wednesday.

Agricultural specialists questioned the traveller and learned he was a “well-published professor on infectious and systemic diseases.” The vials of biological materials were for his current research in Poland, but the man “could not produce documentation to support his claims.”

The contents of the vials were later identified as non-hazardous and non-infectious, according to an update. They were genetically modified neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) and “were ultimately destroyed under proper sterilization protocols.”

“CBP plays a critical role in protecting public health, as well as mitigating the effects of prohibited biological items,” said area port director Robert Larkin in the news release. “I'm proud of the work our officers and agriculture specialists do every day to prohibit the unauthorized entry of biological materials into the United States.”

Biological materials brought to the U.S. must be clearly marked, labelled, packaged and placarded in accordance with federal and state requirements. The items are regulated according to factors determined by various federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and more.