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Two Belarus Residents Detained in Lithuania on Suspicion of Smuggling Radioactive Cargo
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| Abstract Number: |
20070180 |
| Headline: |
Two Belarus Residents Detained in Lithuania on Suspicion of Smuggling
Radioactive Cargo |
| Date: |
11
September 2007 |
| Bibliography:
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| Author: |
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| Orig. Src.:
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"Review of Incidents Involving Radioactive
Materials in the NIS," International Export Control Observer, Issue
11, June/July 2007 |
| Case:
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| Material:
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Uranium (natural and form unidentified) |
Abstract:
According to reports that surfaced in Lithuanian and
Belarusian media in late April 2007, two Belarus nationals
were detained at the Lithuania-Belarus border on 22 April on
suspicion that they attempted to smuggle radioactive cargo
from Lithuania. The arrest was reportedly the result of a longstanding
joint operation between Belarus’s Main Directorate
for the Fight Against Organized Crime and Corruption under
the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Lithuanian Bureau of
Criminal Police, with support from the border services of both
countries. During the inspection of the suspects’ car, law
enforcement officials discovered a metal container labeled in
Russian “Uranium-238, 1991.” The container was then sent to
the Lithuanian Center for Radiation Safety for an examination,
while the two suspects were placed under arrest in
Lithuania.[1,2,3] However, a week later, citing the
examination results, the media reported that the container was
empty and posed no danger. It is unclear from available
sources whether the incident constitutes a mistake made by
law enforcement agencies of the two countries or if it was an
attempt by smugglers to test the vigilance of Lithuanian and
Belarusian border authorities.[4]
[1] “Belorusy pytalis perevezti
cherez litovskuyu granitsu uran” (Belarus residents tried to smuggle uranium
through Lithuania border), Km.Ru, 26 April 2007, http://www.km.ru.
[2] “V Litve zaderzhany dvoye belorusov za popytku kontrabandy urana”
(Two Belarus residents detained in Lithuania for an attempt to uranium
smuggling), AFN, 25 April 2007, http://www.afn.by.
[3] “Podozrevayemyye v kontrabande urana byli zaderzhany na belorusskolitovskoy
granitse” (Suspected in uranium smuggling were detained on
Belarus-Lithuania border), Telegraph, 25 April 2007,
http://www.telegraf.by. [4] “Uran okazalsya ‘lipovym’” (Uranium was
proved to be fake), Novoye Russkoye Slovo online edition, 30 April 2007,
http://www.nrs.ru. {Entered 09/11/07 AL}
The
Center for Nonproliferation Studies has not verified the accuracy or veracity
of this report or the facts presented therein. For more information
on the material in this database please contact Dr. Scott Parrish at sparrish@miis.edu.
 This material is produced independently for NTI
by the 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, agents. Copyright © 2003 by MIIS.
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