
© Fox 5 DCVincent Munster, 53, a citizen of the Netherlands, and Claude Kwe, 38, a citizen of Cameroon, were charged with smuggling vials of contagious viruses and making false statements to federal law enforcement, June 2, 2026.
Two foreign nationals working at the National Institutes of Health are facing charges for allegedly trying to smuggle mpox into the United States through the Detroit Metro Airport.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Vincent Munster, 53, a citizen of the Netherlands, and Claude Kwe, 38, a citizen of Cameroon, are accused of providing federal authorities with false statements after arriving at the McNamara Terminal on Jan. 25, 2026. Officials say the two people, who were researchers, originally traveled from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where an mpox outbreak was ongoing.
Customs and Border Protection officials spotted the individuals with a black plastic case, according to a criminal complaint. When asked, Munster and Kwe told federal officials the case was carrying diagnostic and testing equipment.
Comment: To answer @mattvanswol's question, yes these are "professional" people on call, and the riots can be shut down with a single message:
DataRepublican's link leads to an excellent breakdown of the mechanism.