Two Chinese nationals allegedly smuggled in a fungus described as a "potential agroterrorism weapon," a press release issued by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday said. Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, were arrested and face charges of conspiracy, smuggling goods into the country, false statements, as well as visa fraud.

The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday identified the pathogen as Fusarium graminearum, a fungus it said was classified in scientific literature as a potential agroterrorism weapon. In a statement it said that the fungus causes "head blight" in some crops and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses globally each year.

A couple of Chinese scientists faces serious charges after allegedly smuggling a toxic fungus into the U.S. The fungus, capable of devastating crops, has raised concerns over national security.