A Chinese national was detained at a Texas airport after allegedly attempting to smuggle sensitive cancer research abroad, according to authorities. Yunhai Li, a 35-year-old researcher employed by the MD Anderson Cancer Center since 2022, was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on July 9. During an inspection of his belongings, officials discovered confidential medical information linked to cancer studies.

Li was charged with theft of trade secrets and tampering with a government record. The stolen data, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, allegedly included research he had uploaded to both a personal Google Drive account and a Chinese-based file-hosting service. Court documents revealed that Li deleted files after being confronted by his employer but retained copies on foreign servers.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office emphasized the severity of the offense, stating the intellectual property “stays with us” to protect public health. Li faces potential imprisonment for two to ten years and fines up to $10,000.

This case adds to a pattern of alleged attempts by Chinese nationals to access U.S. scientific research, including a separate incident involving hackers targeting universities for COVID-19-related data. Authorities have repeatedly warned against such actions, citing threats to national innovation and security.