Federal and local law enforcement are investigating a suspected illegal biological laboratory discovered inside a residential home in Las Vegas linked to Jia Bei Zhu, a Chinese national and suspect already facing federal charges from a 2023 biolab case in Reedley, California.
The raid, which took place early in February 2026, was initiated after a tip led SWAT officers to the property on the east side of Las Vegas. During the search, investigators found multiple refrigerators, vials of unknown liquids and other laboratory-type equipment, prompting involvement from the FBI and hazmat teams due to concerns over potentially hazardous materials. Authorities stressed there was no immediate threat to public safety.
The home where the suspected biolab was found is registered to Jia Bei Zhu, 62, a Chinese citizen who is already in federal custody in connection with a high-profile 2023 biolab investigation in Reedley, California. In that case, Zhu was arrested and later indicted for operating unauthorized laboratories and distributing unlicensed medical devices.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice indictment, Zhu — also known to prosecutors as Jesse Zhu, Qiang He, and David He and his associates sold hundreds of thousands of COVID-19, pregnancy and HIV test kits through companies based in California without obtaining the required Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizations. Prosecutors allege he also made false statements to the FDA about his identity and involvement in the operations.
Federal officials charged Zhu with distributing adulterated and misbranded medical devices in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and for lying to FDA investigators. If convicted, he faces statutory penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment and fines under the relevant statutes; however, sentencing will depend on court proceedings.
Court documents revealed that during FDA inspections in California in 2023, Zhu was found to have presented multiple identities, including falsely claiming his name was David He and that he had limited involvement with the companies under scrutiny. When agents executed a search warrant at the Reedley facility, they also recovered a British Columbia driver’s license linked to Zhu under his real name, indicating he had previously resided in Canada under what authorities believe may have been a false identity.
Federal prosecutors and investigators see potential links between the 2023 California lab and the suspected Las Vegas operation. Business registration records show the Las Vegas property is owned by companies tied to Zhu and his associate Zhaoyan Wang, who was also involved in the California lab case. Lawmakers have described the Las Vegas site as a counterpart to the earlier Reedley laboratory, though authorities caution investigations are ongoing.
Although Zhu currently remains in custody in connection with the California indictment and has denied involvement with the Las Vegas site through his attorney, investigators say Frequent communication between Zhu and the property manager suggests he retains influence over the assets linked to the suspected lab.
During the Las Vegas raid, law enforcement took special precautions, using robots, air sampling and hazmat units to safeguard the scene. The only immediate arrest was of the property manager, identified as Ori Solomon, who faces charges related to improper disposal and discharge of hazardous waste. No charges have yet been publicly announced against Zhu in connection with the Las Vegas discovery.
Authorities emphasize that they have not yet determined the full nature of the substances found and have not identified any confirmed harmful pathogens at the Las Vegas site. Still, the discovery of large amounts of unknown liquids and lab equipment has raised concerns about unauthorized biological activity in a residential neighbourhood.
The FBI and other federal agencies will continue laboratory analysis of the materials seized and pursue additional evidence to clarify if federal charges are warranted beyond the 2023 California case.