2011 NIS Nuclear Trafficking

Table of Contents:

April 26, 2012

2011 Reported Thefts and Seizures

2011: Orphan Co-60 source found in Mexico
2011: Russia: Over 200 sources of ionizing radiation were outside control in 2010 and 2011
2011: Ukraine Completes Return of 50 kg HEU to Russia
2011: Uzbek Plant Returns Radioactive Cargo to Kyrgyzstan
January: Canada: Small radioactive source found in Halifax parking lot
January: Russia: Ra-226 detected at Ukrainian border
January-March: Canadian Nuclear Safety Authority Reports lost/found sources in 1st quarter 2011
January-April: Ukraine: Radioactive substance detected 24 times at Kiev Airport during January-April 2011
January 1: France: Package with I-125 missing in Paris Airport
January 6: Rwanda: Trio tried to see fake uranium
January 8: Bulgaria: Three arrested in possession of Cs-137 for sale
January 12: India: 15 Co-60 sources stolen from steel plant in Durgapur, 2 recovered
January 21: Convicted HEU smuggler released in Georgia after serving prison term (update to case 20070070)
January 27: Russia: Radioactive object detected at Ukrainian border
February: Georgian authorities prevent smuggling of Ir-192 to Turkey
February: Russia: Radioactive clock detected at Vladivostok Port
February: Ukraine: Radioactive parcel detected at Kiev airport
February 7: France: Device with Co-57 source stolen in Chalons-en-Champagne
February 11: Russia: Radioactive pendants from China detected at border
March 9: Ukraine: Radiation detected at Metallurgical plant in Donetsk region
March 9: Kr-85 source lost in France
March 17: France: Device with Co-57 stolen in Gagny
April: 2.3 thousand LEU, Th fuel elements unaccounted for in Germany
April 5: Radioactive scrap metal found at Georgia's port of Batumi
April 15: Cs-137 source lost in France
May-October: Canadian Nuclear Safety Authority Reports lost/found sources in 2nd-4th quarter 2011
May: Radiation detected at Landfill in western Kazakhstan
May: Belarus: Cs-137 source detected at metal processing plant
May 11: Russia: Unidentified radioactive material found in Ryazan region
May 13: Mexico lacks control of radioactive sources, faces problem of "Orphan" sources
July 10 2010-June: IAEA Releases ITDB Statistics for 2010-2011
June: Russia: Radiation detected at metallurgical plant in Taganrog
June: Radiation detected on truck at Ukrainian-Moldovan border
June 19: Russia: Serviceman convicted for theft, attempt to sell Cs-137
June 27: Moldovan HEU case submitted to court; new facts and allegations revealed (update to case 20110050)
June 29: Six individuals charged with alleged uranium smuggling in Moldova
July: Radiation detected at Port in Russian Far East
July 8: Radioactive containers found in Russian North
August: Radioactive cylinder found in quarry in Tomsk Region, Russia
August 16: Radioactively contaminated material detected at waste incineration facility in France
August 26: 700 pounds of uranium ore stolen from AREVA Mine in Namibia, four suspects arrested with the material
September 8: Device containing CD-109 stolen in France
September 17: Radiation detected on truck entering Ukraine from Hungary
September 25: Radioactive clock detected in Simferopol Airport
September 28: U.N.: CTC links terrorists to organized crime involved in nuclear trafficking
September 28: Small Ra-226 sealed source found on playground in Prague
October 3: Radioactive waste detected in Kiev
October 8: Unidentified radioactive metal found in Scotland
October 13: Bottles with Ra-226 discovered in Tokyo's home
October 25: Radiography equipment with Ir-192 missing in Abu Dhabi
October 26: 73.5kg of natural uranium stolen from storage depot in Romania
October 26: Radioactive night vision devices detected in Vladivostok
October 29: Ukraine: Radioactive watch detected in Simferopol Airport
November- December: Russia: Iranian arrested in Moscow airport with radioactive material
November: Ukraine: Cs-137 sellers receive jail sentences (update to case 20090310)
November: Canadian Nuclear Safety Authority reports lost/found sources in November 2011
November 1: Japan: Old bottle with Ra-225 found buried near Tokyo supermarket
November 7: UAE: Missing Ir-192 source recovered intact (update to case 20110320)
November 11: Armenia: Four persons arrested trying to sell Sr-90 to foreign buyer
November 12: Japan: Ra-226 found at Tokyo residence
November 20: Uranium "Bricks" Found in Philippines, offered for Sale
November 23: Slovakia: Group planning to sell radioactive material apprehended
December: Egypt: Radioactive material stolen from University in Alexandria

Other Items (2011)

2010-2011: U.K.: Nearly 2 kg of Plutonium Possibly Missing at Sellafield
January 14: U.S. helps enhance Tajik capabilities to combat nuclear trafficking
January 14: NNSA and Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade team up to build Abramovo Counterterrorism Training Center in Russia
January 19: U.S. to help China establish radiation detection training center
January 20: U.S. helps Hungary enhance radiation detection capabilities
February 1: U.S. Aids west African nations to improve border detection capabilities through training and awareness building
February 22: U.S. to provide Lithuania radiation detectors and training
February 22: NNSA and Lithuania's Ministry of Interior expand cooperation to prevent nuclear smuggling
February 25: Taiwan: Radiation detection equipment deployed at Kaohsiung Port
March 8: Georgia draws attention to nuclear smuggling in Abkhazia and South Osetia
March 22: U.S. enhances security at major hospital to prevent dirty bomb
March 22: U.S. provides Jordan with portable radiation detectors
March 24: U.S. extends cooperation with Russian nuclear regulator
April: Vietnam to enhance nuclear security measures
April 7: NNSA helps equip Kharkiv airport with radiation detection equipment
April 26: Guantanamo inmates allege Al Qaeda had access to nuclear material
April 28: North Carolina physicists developing advanced nuclear detection techniques
May 23: Iran, Turkey to cooperate in fighting against nuclear and radiological trafficking
June 8: Party voices concern over nuclear security in South Africa
July: Estonia to enhance inter-agency cooperation to curb nuclear smuggling
July 6: Radiation detection equipment commissioned at port of Djibouti
July 12: UAE authorities discuss improving security and control of radioactive sources
July 13: Plutonium Management and Disposition (PMDA) enters into force
July 19: U.S., Moldova agree to joint measures to combat nuclear smuggling and enhance nuclear security
July 25: U.S. NRC final policy statement on security of Cs-137 chloride sources
July 26: Wireless system to help real-life assessment of dirty bomb threat in NY
July 26: U.S., Spain jointly upgrade detection capabilities at three biggest ports in Spain
August: New radiation detector and radionuclide identifier cleared for production
August 4: U.S. helps Bangladesh step up radiation detection capabilities at biggest port
August 17: U.S.-origin HEU returned from South Africa
August 19: Belarus freezes HEU pact with U.S.
August 29: Japan supports Belarus' efforts to stem nuclear smuggling
September: U.S. has limited ability to account for nuclear materials overseas
September 8: U.S. equips Megaport in cambodia with radiation detection equipment
September 14: Radiation detection system inaugurated in the Philippines
September 22: U.S. helps Russia equip all border crossings with radiation detectors
September 26: U.S., Ukraine sign deal to remove HEU to Russia
September 27: U.S. transfers operation of radiation detection system at Port of Caucedo to Dominican Customs
October 5: U.S. enhances Jordan's radiation detection capabilities
October 7: India soon to upgrade mobile detection capabilities
October 12: The U.S. aids Kazakhstan to remove 33kg of HEU, Improve nuclear security
October 18: Pakistan's top official stresses importance of nuclear security
November 6: U.K.: Budget cuts make radiation detection less effective
November 16: UAE: Regional workshop on security of high activity sources held in Abu Dhabi
November 18: U.S. to aid Tajik efforts to combat nuclear smuggling (update to case 20100730)
November 30: Slovakia approves action plan to combat nuclear trafficking
December: Romania: Security of old uranium mines questioned
December 1: Kazakhstan and U.S. expand nuclear security cooperation
December 1: Lithuania, U.S. discuss nuclear security cooperation
December 2: Russia, U.S. conduct joint table-top simulation of nuclear smuggling detection
December 6-8: Bahamas: Nuclear detection response exercise held in Freeport Container Port
December 16: Thai authorities begin operation of advanced detection monitor in Laem Chabang Port

This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents.

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The NIS Nuclear Trafficking Collection highlights proliferation-significant cases of nuclear materials diversion, and includes abstracts on all reported instances of trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials in or from the Newly Independent States from 1991 to the present.