May 14 (UPI) -- A Russian Harvard University Medical School researcher held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since February has been arrested and charged with smuggling biological material into the United States.
The one count of smuggling goods into the United States was announced by the Justice Department on Wednesday, marking a dramatic escalation in the case that has garnered attention from academics.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint -- which was dated Monday but made public Wednesday -- Kseniia Petrova had frog embryos and embryonic samples in her possession when entering the country that she did not declare to immigration authorities.
The document states she arrived at Boston's Logan International Airport from Paris on Feb. 16. A Customs and Border Protection canine alerted its handler to Petrova's bag, which was removed and brought to an agricultural secondary inspection area for further screening where biological items were found.
When questioned about it, she allegedly denied carrying any biological material, but a search of a plastic bag she was carrying revealed additional biological material.