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Russian researcher arrested in US for attempting to smuggle frog embryos

A charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years, the US Department of Justice said

WASHINGTON, May 15. /TASS/. Russian researcher Ksenia Petrova has been arrested in the US for attempting to smuggle frog embryos into the country, a charge that carries a sentence of up to 20 years, the US Department of Justice said.

According to the department, Petrova was arrested upon arrival at Logan International Airport in the city of Boston. She was stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents for further screening of her bag, where a foam box containing clawed frog embryos was discovered. During an interview, Petrova claimed to be unaware that she was required to declare biological material when entering the US.

The charge of smuggling goods into the United States provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

According to the US Department of Justice, Petrova earlier worked at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Gene Biology and was a bioinformatics expert at the Bochkov Medical and Genetic Research Center.

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