The revelation of illegal bio labs in California and Las Vegas has raised significant alarms among local and federal officials. Highlights of this concern come from a bio lab discovered in Reedley, California, later in 2023, which has put a spotlight on the issue of unregulated biomedical research in residential areas.
Initial discoveries in Reedley included various “pathogen-labeled containers,” indicative of serious health risks, marked with labels for diseases such as dengue fever, HIV, and malaria. Moreover, police reported the presence of roughly 1,000 mice at the site, suspected to be utilized as test subjects. This raises ethical and safety questions about the operations happening behind closed doors in suburban neighborhoods.
Jia Bei Zhu, a Chinese citizen, was arrested in October 2023 and further indicted in November. He faces charges related to distributing adulterated and misbranded medical items, which shockingly included coronavirus tests. As he awaits his court date in April, the gravity of the situation has left many local officials feeling uneasy. What began as a routine investigation has morphed into a wider discussion about biosecurity and public health.
Echoing the concerns from California, authorities in Las Vegas acted swiftly after similar laboratory conditions were uncovered during a raid in early January 2026. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, led by Sheriff Kevin McMahill, described a scene filled with “multiple refrigerators, a freezer, and other laboratory-type equipment” found within a locked garage. These items matched the bio-lab equipment and substances uncovered in Reedley, raising questions about the extent of Zhu’s operations.
Federal agents, alongside local authorities, managed to seize various laboratory materials, including a centrifuge and numerous bottles containing unidentified liquids. Over 1,000 samples were meticulously collected and shipped to the National Bioforensic Analysis Center in Maryland for further examination. The potential implications of these findings could extend far beyond local communities, hinting at a broader, possibly national issue.
Prior to the raid, the police department in Las Vegas only had “limited information that laboratory equipment and potentially hazardous materials” were stored at the residence. Upon learning Zhu’s ownership of the Vegas house, authorities expressed heightened apprehension about what they might encounter during the operation. A robot was deployed to navigate the premises and ensure safety before officers entered, while hazardous materials teams helped with removing potentially dangerous items.
Nicole Zieba, the city manager of Reedley, expressed her belief that the findings should not have come as a surprise. With past attempts to alert the federal government about these serious concerns seemingly ignored, she criticized the inadequate federal response. “It’s almost as if they didn’t want anything to do with it,” Zieba lamented, highlighting frustrations with how the situation had been handled so far.
In addition to the Reedley and Las Vegas labs, authorities also searched a second home in Las Vegas, but no suspicious materials were uncovered there. As part of the ongoing investigation, Ori Solomon, believed to have managed both properties, was arrested for initial charges of disposing and discharging hazardous waste, adding yet another layer to this multifaceted case.
While Zhu’s attorney, Anthony Capozzi, insists that his client is not involved in the Las Vegas bio lab operations, the shadow of suspicion looms large. With ongoing federal investigations and new developments emerging, the community remains on edge as officials navigate a complex array of legal, ethical, and safety challenges. “Vegas is in for a long road,” remarked Zieba, echoing the substantial work still required to unravel the full scope of these bio labs.