The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said it detained two foreign nationals in Kutaisi for attempting to illegally purchase nuclear and radioactive materials and transport them abroad. The agency did not disclose the suspects’ nationality or the country where they intended to transport the materials.
Speaking at a February 19 briefing, First Deputy Head of the SSSG, Lasha Magradze, said the suspects were planning to “illegally purchase nuclear material uranium and radioactive substance cesium-137 for USD 3 million and transport it illegally to another country.”
According to Magradze, the suspects had been regularly traveling to Georgia “in recent weeks” to arrange “favorable conditions” for acquiring and transporting the materials. He noted the substances in question are “usually used for criminal purposes, including terrorism.”
The investigation is being conducted under Part 1 of Article 19-230 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, covering the attempt to illegally handle nuclear material or equipment, radioactive waste, and radioactive substances. If convicted, the detainees face five to ten years in prison.
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