Thaindian News

August 25, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): Almost 1.8 kgs of Uranium-238 was seized by the police in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. The group in possession of the smuggled Uranium also included three police officers.

The smugglers were trying to sell the uranium in the European black market. They hoped to get 9 million Euros for the deal.

An expert in nuclear materials revealed that the type of Uranium that had been smuggled could not be used to create nuclear weapons. The amount was also miniscule and could be safely held in one hand. The expert however expressed concern over the smuggling of Uranium.

An investigator in Moldova, however, told the Pro TV’s. Chisinau channel that the Uranium could have been utilized both in the civil nuclear plant as well as for military purposes. The source of the nuclear material has not been discerned as yet neither is the intention of the smugglers clear, Oleg Putintica, the investigator reported.

Uranium -238 is a form of the nuclear material that can be found naturally. Making nuclear weapons usually requires the more common form of Uranium-235. The material was recovered from a garage in Chisinau where it had been kept under security. A special container had been used to store the material said Chiril Motpan, the spokesman for the interior ministry.

He also revealed that there had been seven suspects in all with a few of them having previous conviction records for smuggling radioactive materials in Moldova, Romania and Russia.

The police assured the general public by stating that Uranium-238 does not emit radiation and would pose no danger to Moldova’s population. It could only be used for making nuclear bombs if enriched with certain isotopes.