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Authorities in the country of Georgia say they have disrupted a major nuclear smuggling attempt involving several Chinese nationals accused of trying to buy uranium on the black market, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) announced Saturday that three Chinese citizens were detained in Tbilisi while attempting to illegally purchase roughly 4.4 pounds of uranium for $400,000, according to the outlet.
Officials said the suspects were planning to traffic the nuclear material to China via Russia, the outlet reported.
“Three Chinese citizens have been detained in Tbilisi while attempting to illegally purchase 2 kilograms of nuclear material — uranium,” the agency said, according to the AP.
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Officials arrest multiple Chinese nationals in Georgia over uranium trafficking plot. (State Security Service of Georgia)
Video footage released by the agency shows security officers in the Georgian capital seizing bottles containing what was identified as uranium and arresting multiple individuals at the scene.
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Two bottles identified as uranium were confiscated over the weekend in Georgia’s Tbilisi. (State Security Service of Georgia)
According to the SSSG, one of the suspects had overstayed his visa and was living in Georgia illegally, the AP said. He allegedly led efforts to locate and acquire the radioactive substance, even bringing in experts from abroad to assist, the outlet added. Other members of the group reportedly coordinated the operation from China.
The perpetrators were identified and detained while “negotiating the details of the illegal transaction,” the security service reportedly said.
The agency did not specify when the arrests occurred or provide the identities of the suspects.
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Georgian officials escort a suspect after authorities foiled a uranium smuggling plot in Tbilisi. (State Security Service of Georgia)
The latest arrests follow a similar case in July, when Georgian authorities detained a foreign national and a Georgian citizen accused of planning to sell uranium worth $3 million. Officials said that material could have been used to construct explosive devices or carry out terrorist attacks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.