Russia: Serviceman Convicted for Theft, Attempt to Sell Cs-137

April 26, 2012

Abstract:

On 19 June 2011, a contract serviceman stole two containers with Cs-137 from a repair workshop of the radiation, chemical, and biological defense regiment in the Pskov region. He hid the container in a cache and on 1 July was arrested by law enforcement authorities while attempting to sell the stolen material. In November 2011, he was found guilty of theft (Article 221 of the Russian Criminal Code) of radioactive substances and their illegal storage (Article 220) and given an 18-month suspended sentence with a probation period of 18 months. According to the investigative authorities, the "black market" price of 1 gram of Cs-137 is $3,000.

Abstract Number: 20111016
Headline: Russia: Serviceman Convicted for Theft, Attempt to Sell Cs-137
Date: 19 June 2011
Bibliography: "В Псковской области сержант-контрактник осужден к 1.5 годам исловно за попытку продать радиоактивное вещество [In the Pskov region, NCO corps sentenced to 1.5 years for trying to sell radioactive material]," ITAR-TASS, 21 November 2011, via www.integrum.com
Material: Cs-137

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. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS.

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This article is part of a collection examining reported incidents of nuclear or radioactive materials trafficking in or originating from the Newly Independent States.