Chinese-linked biolab discovered in Las Vegas home sparks federal investigation with SWAT response
Authorities are investigating a suspected biological laboratory with alleged Chinese ties discovered inside a Las Vegas home.
SWAT officers served a search warrant Saturday at a residence on the city’s east side after receiving a tip that a biolab was operating inside the home, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
More than 1,000 pieces of evidence with "potential biological and hazardous materials" were primarily located in a locked garage, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a press briefing on Monday. Authorities said there is no threat to the public.
The property manager of the home, 55-year-old Ori Solomon, was arrested Saturday and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of disposing and discharging hazardous waste, police said.
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LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill said police took extensive precaution while serving the warrant. Authorities, he said, used a robot to clear the home, collect air samples and deploy hazardous materials teams to remove items safely.
In the garage, investigators found multiple refrigerators with vials of unknown liquids, unknown liquids in gallon-size containers, a centrifuge and other laboratory equipment, authorities said.
"Some of that evidence included biological material and liquids that were meticulously collected and sent to FBI labs for testing," police said in a statement.
Investigators identified the owner of the Las Vegas home as Jia Bei Zhu, who is already in federal custody following the discovery of an unauthorized biolab in Reedley, California, in 2023.
Zhu was arrested in that case on federal charges alleging he manufactured and distributed misbranded medical devices, including tests for COVID-19, pregnancy and HIV, without proper permits and made false statements to the Food and Drug Administration. He is scheduled to go on trial in April.
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Zhu’s attorney, Anthony Capozzi, said Monday that his client is not involved in the Las Vegas investigation.
"He is not involved in any kind of a biolab being conducted in a home in Las Vegas," Capozzi said. "What went on in that residence we are unaware of."
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The Reedley biolab drew attention after a clandestine laboratory was discovered operating inside a warehouse owned by Zhu’s company, Universal Meditech Inc.
According to a report by the House Select Committee on the People’s Republic of China, Zhu, 62, is a citizen of the PRC and a wanted fugitive from Canada. The committee alleged Zhu had close ties to the Chinese government and was involved in a transnational criminal enterprise that stole millions of dollars in intellectual property from U.S. companies.
City officials in Reedley first raised concerns in December 2022 after a code enforcement officer noticed a green garden hose protruding from the warehouse. A subsequent inspection revealed extensive laboratory equipment, manufacturing devices and medical-grade freezers inside the building.
Officials also reported finding approximately 1,000 transgenic mice used in disease research. Workers at the facility told authorities the mice were genetically engineered for COVID-19 research.
The FBI is assisting in the Las Vegas investigation, which remains ongoing. Authorities declined to provide additional details about the materials recovered or whether additional arrests are expected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.