Authorities recently uncovered a secret Chinese lab in California stockpiling hazardous materials.
Reports revealed that the lab was full of vials with many infectious agents like E. coli and malaria. The lab was also home to 900 mice that were "genetically engineered to catch and carry" the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).
For months, local and federal authorities investigated a warehouse in the city of Reedley in Fresno County, California, that they speculated was home to an illegal, unlicensed laboratory full of lab mice, medical waste and hazardous materials.
In a statement released on July 27, Joe Prado, the health department's assistant director, said the Fresno County Public Health Department has been "evaluating and assessing the activities of an unlicensed laboratory" in Reedley.
After a legal abatement process by the agency, all of the biological agents discovered in the laboratory were destroyed by July 7. (Related: Former researcher at Wuhan lab reveals COVID-19 was developed by the CCP as a BIOWEAPON.)
Prado said the evaluation called for "coordination and collaboration" with several federal and state agencies to determine and classify the biological and chemical contents at the lab. Officials also helped assess jurisdictional authority due to the unique situation.
The Fresno County Public Health Department began its investigation in December 2022. The location roused suspicion when a code enforcement officer spotted a garden hose attached to a building that was supposed to be vacant and had no active business license.
According to court documents, city officials inspected the location at 850 I St. on March 3 due to building violations. They discovered various chemicals being stored at the location.
On March 16, an inspection by county public health officials allegedly revealed medical devices that they believed were developed on-site, such as COVID-19 and pregnancy tests.
Court documents revealed that some rooms of the warehouse contained many "vessels of liquid and various apparatus."
Staff then reported that they also found "blood, tissue and other bodily fluid samples and serums." The location was also hiding thousands of vials of unlabeled fluids, along with suspected biological material.
Court documents also revealed that hundreds of mice were kept in inhumane conditions at the warehouse. The animals were trapped in overcrowded cages with no food or water.
The city took the animals in April, euthanizing 773 of them. More than 175 of the mice were dead upon discovery.
According to a Health and Human Services (HHS) letter dated June 6, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tested the substances and detected at least 20 potentially infectious agents.
The bacterial and viral agents detected include:
- COVID-19
- E. Coli
- Hepatitis C
- Herpes 1
- Herpes 5
- Malaria
- Streptococcus pneumonia
Reedley lab tenant linked to China
An investigation revealed that the tenant of the laboratory was Prestige Biotech, a company registered in Nevada but was unlicensed for business in California.
Xiuquin Yao, identified as the company president, said they assumed assets from the now-defunct Universal Meditech Inc. (UMI). They moved these assets to the Reedley warehouse from another Fresno location.
Court documents showed that Prestige Biotech was a creditor to UMI and identified as its successor. However, officials were unable to find a California-based address for either company except for the previous Fresno location from which UMI had been evicted.
The documents showed that the other addresses provided for identified authorized agents were either empty offices or addresses in China that were difficult to verify.
Officials accused Prestige BioTech of failing to comply with orders. The company was also unable to present a plan for biological abatement and disposal of the materials. Emails sent to Yao and Prestige Biotech requesting comments were not immediately answered.
Prado also said people associated with Prestige Biotech were not forthcoming with information.
According to court documents, the company was unable to present any license or permit that allows experimentation or other laboratory activity.
Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba explained that officials have already cleared the area of hazardous materials and are currently emptying the lab.
Visit Bioterrorism.news for more articles about bioweapons.
Replies