TBILISI, July 26 (AVN) - Georgian experts analysing uranium-235 seized from smugglers in the city of Batumi said on Thursday that the uranium was enriched and could have been stolen from a Russian submarine.
The experts examined 1.7kg of uranium-235 which criminals attempted to smuggle from Georgia through the Adzharian autonomous republic. Their attempt was thwarted earlier this week.
The huge batch of uranium was transported by three local unemployed and a Georgian army captain, Rizor Sakavarelidze, head of the anti-terrorist department in the Adzharian police, told reporters. The names of the detainees are not disclosed in the interests of the investigation.
The smugglers told investigators that they were planning to sell 1kg of enriched uranium for USD80,000. They kept the dangerous cargo in a glass can in their hotel room.
Georgian law-enforcers say that the batch of uranium was to go to Turkey first and to a third party later. They do not name the suspected destination of the cargo.
The uranium is being examined in laboratories of the Mtskheta R&D nuclear reactor of the physics institute under the Georgian Academy of Sciences. The reactor is located not far from Tbilisi. According to preliminary examination results, uranium of that kind is used as fuel in nuclear reactors, including on submarines.
The nuclear and radiation security service of the Georgian Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection says that 1.7kg of enriched uranium is not enough to produce an atomic bomb, as this type of weapon requires twice more material.
Illegal transit transportation of radioactive materials through Georgia was busted before. However the smuggled load only consisted of various isotopes, primarily of caesium.