The internal security agency of Georgia announced on Saturday the detention of three Chinese nationals in the capital city, Tbilisi, as reported by Georgia’s Interpress news agency. The arrests were connected to an attempted clandestine purchase of two kilograms of uranium, classified as “nuclear material.”
According to Interpress, the deputy head of Georgia’s State Security Service confirmed that the trio intended to acquire the uranium for $400,000, with plans to transfer it to China through Russia. The uranium was specifically identified as “nuclear material,” though the purpose of the intended transaction was not disclosed.
The security official stated that the individuals in custody are facing charges that could result in sentences of up to 10 years of imprisonment.
Ensuring the security of nuclear materials remaining from the Soviet era has been a primary concern since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, to which Georgia once belonged. Over recent decades, multiple serious cases related to the illegal trafficking of nuclear substances have occurred in Georgia.
In July, Georgian authorities apprehended one Georgian and one Turkish citizen on charges involving the unlawful acquisition, possession, and disposal of radioactive materials, which the national security service indicated could potentially be used to construct a lethal bomb.