Share and Follow
Authorities are currently delving into the discovery of a suspected biological laboratory with purported links to China found within a Las Vegas residence.
Officers from the SWAT team executed a search warrant on Saturday at a home located on the eastern side of the city following a tip-off regarding the operation of a biolab on the premises, as reported by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Officials uncovered more than 1,000 items of evidence containing “potential biological and hazardous materials,” primarily stored in a secured garage, stated Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during a press conference on Monday. They have reassured the public that there is no imminent danger.
The home’s property manager, Ori Solomon, aged 55, was arrested on Saturday. He now faces charges related to the disposal and discharge of hazardous waste and is currently held at the Clark County Detention Center, according to police reports.
LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill delivered an update on a collaborative investigation centered on a possible biological lab situated within a Las Vegas home, Nevada. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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.
A worker in a hazmat suit searches through material found at the Las Vegas house. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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.
Additional charges have been filed against Jia Bei Zhu, 62, the operator of the Reedley, California Bio-Lab and his partner, according to the United States Department of Justice. (Department of Justice)
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.”
Inside of the Chinese-linked California biolab. (City of Reedley)
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.
This image made from video provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows law enforcement conducting a search at a house in Las Vegas, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Las Vegas. (LVMPD via AP)
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.