Fresno authorities recently discovered a house of horrors in the town of Reedley, California. Only this was no house; it was an illegal laboratory overflowing with mice, medical waste, and infectious agents.
The property was first inspected by the city back in March. A monthslong investigation followed, led by the Fresno County Public Health Department in conjunction with federal authorities.
County health staff “observed blood, tissue and other bodily fluid samples and serums; and thousands of vials of unlabeled fluids and suspected biological material,” according to court documents.
Over 20 infectious agents were identified, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes, malaria, and coronavirus. Another 800 chemicals were found, some of which remain unidentified.
Nearly 1,000 rodents that were living in inhumane conditions had to be euthanized after removal from the facility. Another 175 were already dead when inspectors arrived.
Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba and the county’s Assistant Public Health Director Joe Prado said they had never seen anything like this in their careers. It appears the technicians were making COVID and pregnancy tests on site.
Authorities have identified the illicit lab as a subsidiary of Prestige BioTech, which is registered in the state of Nevada and has no valid license in California. The company’s President is Xiuquin Yao. According to court documents, all the addresses Yao provided for the company "were either empty offices or addresses in China that could not be verified.”
Not surprisingly, the county health department told NBC affiliate KSEE that company officials have not been forthcoming with information.
Read more about the shocking discovery and the legal case at NBC News and YourCentralValley.com.