Officials in California discover a large-scale illegal lab with bioengineered mice, infectious agents and more

Authorities in California made a startling discovery of a large-scale illegal laboratory housed in a warehouse, which was found to contain bioengineered mice, infectious agents, nearly 30 refrigerators and freezers, as well as incubators, among other items. The investigation into this illicit operation was initiated when officials noticed a garden hose illegally connected to the building’s wall at the rear.

Court documents filed at the Superior Court of the State of California revealed that the lab was stumbled upon by the City of Reedley’s code enforcement team in December of the previous year. After months of investigation, it was uncovered that two companies, Prestige BioTech and Universal Meditech Inc., were in possession of vials containing at least 20 different infectious viruses, bacteria, and parasites, including Covid, E. Coli, and malaria.

Joe Prado, the Assistant Director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health, stated that the illegal lab contained over 800 different chemicals stored in various bottles, some of which were labeled as “unknown chemicals” due to the removal of labels from some bottles. This made it challenging for the authorities to fully determine the nature of these substances.

Notably, the officials found nearly 1,000 lab mice within the illegal lab, out of which 200 were deceased. According to Prado, the individuals occupying the warehouse claimed that they were conducting tests on laboratory mice to aid in the development of Covid test kits present on-site. This incident marks a highly unusual and unprecedented situation in the county’s history, as stated by the Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba, who emphasized that the hazardous materials and biologicals have been removed from the location. Nonetheless, some activity, such as the presence of 30 freezers and fridges, medical equipment, and furniture, still remains at the site.

The magnitude and nature of the illicit laboratory have left officials astounded, considering the variety of hazardous materials and illegal activities involved.