Kseniia Petrova, a 30-year-old Russian-born scientist at Harvard, has been charged with smuggling biological material into the U.S., adding complexity to her case, which touches on legal and civil rights issues. On February 16, upon arriving at Boston Logan International Airport from Paris, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered preserved frog embryos in Petrova’s luggage after a canine alert. Federal prosecutors allege she failed to declare these items, leading to the charge of smuggling goods into the U.S.
In a sealed criminal complaint made public, it is reported that Petrova initially denied carrying biological materials. However, after being shown a text message instructing her to declare the materials, she admitted to possessing them but claimed uncertainty about declaring them. Petrova contended that she had answered affirmatively when asked about biological samples in her luggage but expressed confusion over customs procedures.
During her detention, Petrova faced significant challenges, including lack of communication with her lawyer and mentor, Dr. Leon Peshkin, and was ultimately transferred to ICE custody in Louisiana despite expressing a desire to return to France, where she had a valid visa. In a recent habeas review, U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss questioned the authority of CBP officers to impact her visa status based on a customs violation. Petrova’s attorney argued that the government overstepped its jurisdiction, stating there was no valid ground for her inadmissibility due to the alleged customs violation. A bail hearing has been tentatively scheduled for May 28, with further discussions on the court’s jurisdiction regarding her release anticipated.
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