Bio Lab Discoveries in California and Las Vegas Raise Concerns

Authorities in California have expressed criticism towards the federal handling of a recently unearthed illegal bio lab in a suburban area of Fresno County, which bears similarities to a comparable discovery made at a Las Vegas residence over a weekend. The lab in California, located in the town of Reedley, was uncovered in the latter part of 2023. Law enforcement officials revealed that the illicit lab housed containers labeled with pathogens such as dengue fever, HIV, and malaria, along with approximately 1,000 mice presumed to be used for experimentation.

Jia Bei Zhu, a Chinese national, was apprehended in October 2023 and formally charged the following month. His charges include distributing misbranded and adulterated medical products, notably coronavirus tests, and he remains held in detention. His court appearance is scheduled for April.

In a separate incident, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, led by Sheriff Kevin McMahill, conducted a raid on a Las Vegas home early on a Saturday morning. Authorities discovered a setup resembling the one in Reedley. The raid uncovered “multiple refrigerators, a freezer, and various laboratory-type equipment,” as well as numerous bottles and jugs containing unknown liquid substances within a secured garage.

FBI Special Agent in Charge for Las Vegas, Christopher Delzotto, further reported the seizure of items such as a centrifuge, biosafety tools, and “unknown liquids in gallon-sized containers and refrigerated vials.” Over a thousand samples were taken from the site and sent to the National Bioforensic Analysis Center in Maryland for further investigation.

The items were notably similar in appearance to those described in the Reedley lab investigation, raising concerns about additional such laboratories elsewhere in the United States.

Lee Zieba, Reedley’s City Manager, expressed her lack of surprise at the Las Vegas discovery. Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig commented that the items found in the Reedley lab hinted at the potential existence of more labs in other U.S. regions.

Zieba voiced frustration at the federal response, stating, “It’s almost as if they didn’t want anything to do with it,” given their prior attempts to alert the federal government, which were met with inadequate attention.

Las Vegas authorities also inspected another property but found no suspicious items. Sheriff McMahill disclosed that Ori Solomon, thought to be the property manager for both Las Vegas properties, was arrested on charges related to the disposal and discharge of hazardous waste.

Anthony Capozzi, representing Zhu, stated that his client “is not involved in any kind of a biolab being conducted in a home in Las Vegas” and noted that Zhu has been in federal custody for three years, distancing his client from the activities.

The FBI has been observed re-entering the Reedley lab in recent days as the police investigation continues. McMahill anticipates a challenging process ahead for Las Vegas authorities, akin to the Reedley case where there was “no manual to pull off the shelves.”