Georgian authorities confiscate $200mn worth of radioactive uranium

By bne IntelliNews April 19, 2016

The Georgian State Security Service has arrested three Georgian and three Armenian citizens for trying to sell radioactive Uranium-238, according to civil.ge. The six wanted to sell the radioactive material worth $200mn in Tbilisi, where they were detained on April 16.

Such criminal cases are extremely rare in Georgia, although three men were arrested in January over attempts to sell radioactive Caesium-137. No connections with foreign governments or individuals have been made. It is unclear how the six were able to enrich such a large amount of uranium, or where they purchased it. The lawyers of one of those detained has said that his client is denying the charges.

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