Georgia Foils $3 Million Nuclear Material Smuggling Plot

Georgia's State Security Service has detained two foreign nationals attempting to acquire $3 million worth of uranium and Cesium 137, intended for illegal transport. Authorities continue to address illicit nuclear trade, a lingering issue since the Soviet Union's collapse.

In a significant security operation, Georgia's State Security Service has arrested two individuals involved in a plot to acquire nuclear materials. The suspects, foreign nationals, intended to purchase $3 million worth of uranium and the radioactive isotope Cesium 137, with plans to transport them to another country illegally.

The agency revealed that additional foreigners have been arriving in Georgia recently, seeking to engage in similar transactions. However, details regarding the quantities involved, as well as the origin and intended destination of the materials, remain undisclosed.

Cesium 137, often associated with nuclear weapons tests and accidents like the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, poses a significant security threat. The illicit trade of nuclear materials has been a recurrent issue for Georgia since the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991. This incident follows the recent arrest of three Chinese nationals in Tbilisi for a similar offense.

(With inputs from agencies.)