NIS Nuclear Trafficking Database

The Newly Independent States (NIS) Nuclear Trafficking Abstracts Database includes cases and reported incidents of trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials in and from the NIS. The database also features trafficking incident tables and summaries and analysis of relevant articles and reports.
Researchers at the Center for Nonproliferation at the Monterey Institute of International Studies have been compiling this information since 1991 from hundreds of foreign and domestic news sources as well as from field reports.
These abstracts are taken from open press sources and unclassified government documents and are presented on an as-reported basis. The Center for Nonproliferation Studies cannot vouch for the accuracy or veracity of these reports, nor can it verify reported facts in the abstracts.
Abstracts:
Click on the year to view reported thefts and seizures:
23 September 2008 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures:
- 1 September 2008: Moldova-bound train with radioactive cargo passes through Kazakh borders undetected
- 9 September 2008: Three individuals arrested for smuggling depleted uranium from Kyrgyzstan to China
- 17 July 2008: Individual from Uzbekistan accused of attempted tantalum smuggling from Russia to Iran
- 19 June 2008: Radiation sources discovered in Vladivostok port
- 17 June 2008: Magnitogorsk customs officials detain vehicle with radioactive turn indicator
- 6 June 2008: Vehicle with radioactive potassium cyanide detained at Russo-Ukrainian border
- 30 May 2008: Ukrainian law enforcement officials arrest smugglers of radioactive scrap metal
- 27 May 2008: Latvia-bound train with radioactive cargo detained on Russo-Kazakh border
- 21 April 2008: Truck with radioactive medical isotopes detained at Ukraine-Moldova border
- 14 March 2008: Truck with radioactive sand detained at Belarusian-Polish border
- 11 March 2008: Kazakh customs detain consignment of tantalum concentrate transported by aircraft from the United Arab Emirate
- 28 February 2008: Almaty court sentences two individuals to two years in prison for reported attempted sale of uranium
- 28 January 2008: Individual suspected of financing nuclear trafficking arrested in Russia
- 10 January 2008: Kyrgyz train with radioactive metal scrap en route to Iran detained in Uzbekistan
- 27 December 2007: Trial of uranium rod thieves to begin in Udmurtia
- 8 December 2007: Belarusian owner of cesium-contaminated mushrooms located
- 29 November 2007: Ukrainian police seizes mercury and cesium-137 from individual
- 13 November 2007: Belarusian customs officials detain trucks with elevated radiation cargo
- 8 November 2007: Kola peninsula-bound railway car with radioactive shipment detained in Murmansk
- 24 September 2007: Ukrainian security service detains radioactive parcel at Zhulyany airport
Past trafficking cases updated:
- 8 July 2008: Ukrainian police arrest suspected sellers of cesium and uranium
- 22 April 2007: Two Belarus residents detained in Lithuania on suspicion of smuggling radioactive cargo
Other items of note:
- 8 September 2008: Paper analyzing the 2003 and 2006 HEU Seizures in Georgia [PDF] by Elena Sokova and William Potter released in Proceedings of IAEA 2007 Conference on Illicit Trafficking. (link also added to Additional Resources)
- 8 September 2008: IAEA releases Proceedings of an International Conference Illicit Nuclear Trafficking: Collective Experience and the Way Forward [PDF], held in Edinburgh, 19-22 November 2007. (about the Conference, link also added to Additional Resources)
- 23 August 2008: Julian Borger, " The Time Bomb," The Guardian. (article discusses Global Threat Reduction Initiative efforts to remove HEU)
- 16 August 2008: Michael Bronner, "When the War Ends, Start to Worry," New York Times. (see Bronner’s report in items of note in July 2008 update)
- 15 August 2008: U.S. and Kyrgyzstan cooperate to prevent smuggling of nuclear and radioactive material, NNSA release. (GSN story, also see Second Line of Defense in Securing the Bomb)
- 23 July 2008: Norway to fund NNSA’s Second Line of Defense efforts in Kazakhstan, NNSA release. (also see Second Line of Defense in Securing the Bomb)
- 21 January 2008: Russian experts concerned about terrorist access to uranium mines in Central Asia. (also see Yuriy Zaitsev, "Preventing Nuclear Terrorism Worldwide," RIA Novosti.)
16 July 2008 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures:
- 8 July 2008: Ukrainian police arrest suspected sellers of cesium and uranium
- 1-8 July 2008: Kazakh customs officials detain vehicles with radioactive cargo on Russian-Kazakh border
- 5 June 2008: Belarusian customs say they’ve stopped 10 vehicles with radioactive cargo since beginning of year
- 23 May 2008: Kazakh customs detain Germany-bound lorry with radioactive material
- 24 January 2008: Four Russians sentenced for smuggling radioactive sources across the Russian-Kazakh border
- 31 December 2007: Radioactive source is found in Kyrgyz scrap metal shipment to Iran [expanded story by Alexander Melikishvili]
- 21 December 2007: Russia’s Federal Customs Service releases trafficking statistics
- 28 November 2007: Uranium seized at Slovak-Hungarian border crossing [includes expanded story link]
- 27 November 2007: Three cases of radioactive metal scrap are uncovered in Russia
- 2 November 2007: Cesium-137 seized in Zugdidi, Western Georgia [expanded story by Alexander Melikishvili]
- 24 October 2007: Rare transuranic element Lawrencium seized at the Georgian-Turkish border [expanded story by Alexander Melikishvili]
- 29 July 2007: Potentially radioactive orphan sources found at a construction site in Arkhangelsk, Russia
- 5 June 2007: Ampoules labeled Cesium-133 uncovered in water well in Kazakhstan
Other items of note:
- 15 July 2008: U.S. and Armenia conclude joint action plan on nuclear smuggling, Department of State release (GSN story)
- July 2008: Significant progress made on removal of Soviet-origin HEU (link to NTI’s Civil HEU Reduction and Elimination Database also added to Additional Resources)
- 2 July 2008: NNSA achieves major milestone in project to thwart nuclear smuggling in Kazakhstan, NNSA release
- 17 June 2008: Fourth meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism takes place in Madrid, Spain, Department of State release
- 11 June 2008: U.S.-Russian cooperation on illicit trafficking marks a ten year milestone, NNSA release (also see Second Line of Defense in Securing the Bomb)
- June 2008: Michael Bronner, " 100 Grams (and Counting...): Notes from the Nuclear Underworld," Managing the Atom Project, Harvard University.
- April 2008: Azerbaijani customs halt Russian cargo bound for Iran's Bushehr power plant. (GSN stories: April 23, April 25, April 28)
- April 2008: Lawrence Scott Sheets, " A Smuggler’s Story," Atlantic Monthly (story provides details on seizure of highly enriched uranium in Georgia in 2006).
- 28 January 2008: IAEA issues guide on combating illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials (PDF of IAEA Guidance, GSN story, link also added to Additional Resources)
- 6 November 2007: U.S. and Russia jointly conduct field training for radiological emergency response, NNSA release (GSN story)
21 November 2007 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 30 October 2007: Containers with Radioactive Cargo Detained in Vladivostok
- 22 October 2007: Parcel with Object Covered with Radium-266 Discovered in Vladivostok
- 15 October 2007: Railroad Car with Radioactive Ore Detained on Ukrainian-Hungarian Border
- 12 October 2007: Four Sellers of Osmium-187 Detained in Moscow Suburb
- 28 September 2007: Radioactive Source Uncovered at a Scrap Metal Receiving Station in Ufa
- 7 September 2007: Belarusian Customs Seize Radioactive Cargo Bound for Russia
- 27 August 2007: Americium-241 Seizure in Dimitrovgrad
- 13 April 2007: Individual Selling Osmium Tetroxide Apprehended in Moscow Suburb
- 27 February 2007: Radioactive Isotope Unit Discovered in Krasnodar Region
Other items in this release:
- 30 October 2007: Radiation Detection Equipment Installed at the Armenian-Iranian Border
- 30 September 2007: United States and Kyrgyz Republic Cooperate in Combating Nuclear Smuggling
- 19 September 2007: Energoatom Officials Suspected of Smuggling NPP Parts from Russia to Ukraine
11 September 2007 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 29 June 2007: Radioactive Capsule Discovered in Kazakhstan
- 15 June 2007: Georgian Authorities Thwart Attempt to Transport Plutonium from Azerbaijan to Georgia
- 5 June 2007: Radioactive Container Discovered in Stavropol Kray
- 8 May 2007: Eight Men Face Criminal Prosecution in Tajikistan for Attempted Sale of Plutonium-Beryllium Source
- 15 May 2007: Orphan Container with Plutonium Found in Smolensk Oblast
- 7 May 2007: Highly Radioactive Items Discovered in Togliatti
- 22 April 2007: Two Belarus Residents Detained in Lithuania on Suspicion of Smuggling Radioactive Cargo
- 11 May 2006: Uzbek Customs Officials Detain Two Radioactive Cargos from Kazakhstan
Other items in this release:
- 11 September 2007: IAEA Releases New Statistics on Illicit Trafficking and Other Unauthorized Activities involving Nuclear and Radioactive Materials
- 23 June 2007: United States and Ukraine Sign a Cooperation Agreement to Protect Radiological Materials
- 6 May 2006: US Partners with Kazakhstan to Stop Nuclear and Radioactive Material Smuggling
- 20 April 2006: Secret Mission to Remove Highly Enriched Uranium Spent Nuclear Fuel from Uzbekistan Successfully Completed
26 June 2007 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 16 June 2007: Cesium Seizure in Kazakhstan
- 17 May 2007: Radioactive Parcel Found at Sheremetyevo-I
- 15 January 2007: HEU Seized in Georgia
- 13 November 2006: Kazakh Customs Detains Man with Cesium-137
Other items in this release:
- 21 May 2007: New Radiation Detection Checkpoint in Ukraine
- 13 March 2007: GAO Report on Securing Radioactive Materials
- 18 December 2006: Nearly 600 Pounds of Highly Enriched Uranium Returned to Russia from Germany
9 January 2007 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 23 October 2006: Radioactive Metal Seized in Rostov-on-Don, Russia
- 21 September 2006: Vandalized RTGs found near Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk region, Russia
- 27 July 2006: Radioactive Sources Recovered in Georgia
- 11 May 2006: Contaminated Materials Seized in Uzbekistan
- 5 February 2006: Georgian Uranium Seizure Allegations
Other items in this release:
- 27 September 2006: IAEA Releases New Statistics on Illicit Trafficking and Other Unauthorized Activities involving Nuclear and Radioactive Materials
- 10 August 2006: HEU Removed from Poland
- 3 August 2006: High-Activity Radioactive Materials Secretly Removed from Chechen Site
- 27 July 2006: HEU Fuel Returned to Russia from Libya
- May 2006: Incidents Involving Radioactive Materials in Russia, February-April 2006
30 June 2006 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 20 April 2006: Ukrainians Tried to Smuggle Military Equipment to Poland
- 13 April 2006: Machine Building Plant Employee Tried to Sell Low-Enriched Uranium
- 24 March 2006: Neutron Radiation Source Detected in the Port of Vladivostok
- 21 February 2006: A Radioactive Truck Detained in the Entry to the Port of Vladivostok
- 10 February 2006: Radioactive Cargo with Semi-precious Stone Charoit Seized in Belarus
- 7 February 2006: Radioactive Cargo Stopped at the Border
- 3 February 2006: Unidentified Number of Radioactive Sources Still Missing in Chechnya
- 31 January 2006: Powerful Radioactive Source Found in the Port of Vladivostok
- 25 November 2005: A Container with 50kg of Radioactive Waste Found in Samara Oblast
- 14 October 2005: Radioactive Containers Found in Crimea
8 February 2006 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 23 December 2005: Con Artists Peddling "Uranium" Arrested in Yaroslavl, Russia
- 21 November 2005: Cesium-137 Found in Petrozavodsk, Russia
- 10 November 2005: Radioactive Scrap Seized in Magadan, Russia
- 8 November 2005: Capsules of Plutonium-239, Cesium-137 Recovered in Blagoveshchensk, Russia
- 18 October 2005: Cesium-137 Found in Borisov, Belarus
- 28 September 2005: Radioactive Material Found at Chornobyl NPP, Ukraine
- 16 August 2005: Turkey Seizes LEU
- 25 June 2005: Strontium-90 Seized in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine
Other items in this release:
- 6 January 2006: Letter from US Senators Lugar and Obama to Secretary Rice
- 21 December 2005: U.S., Georgia Sign Countersmuggling Cooperation Agreement
- 17 December 2005: Ministry of Defense Official Says No Attempts Made To Enter Russia’s Nuclear Weapons Storage Facilities in Recent Years
- 14 December 2005: Russia TV Reports on Black Market of Radioactive Materials
- 10 October 2005: Kyrgyz Authorities Secure 1,000 Radiation Sources
- 27 September 2005: Latest Nuclear Trafficking Statistics Released
- 27 September 2005: Fresh HEU Fuel Returned to Russia from Czech Republic
15 August 2005 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 8 May 2005: "Dirty Bomb" Rocket Again Reported for Sale in Transnistria
- 21 April 2005: Radioactive Scrap Metal Seized in Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia
- 15 March 2005: Armenian Arms Trafficker Claims to Have Access to Enriched Uranium
- 2 March 2005: Uranium Seized at Kyiv Airport
- 2 March 2005: Empty Container for Radiation Source found in Vladivostok, Russia
- 11 February 2005: Radioactive Mercury Reported Seized in Kyrgyzstan
- 29 January 2005: Radioactive Material Denied Entry to Russia at Customs Post in Sochi
Other items in this release:
- 8 July 2005: Georgia Reports New Nuclear Smuggling Incidents
- 13 May 2005: Russia, Kazakhstan, Agree to Step Up Cooperation on Border Protection
- 16 March 2005: Rosatom Head Claims No Fissile Material Stolen from Russian Facilities
- 12 March 2005: Korean Businessman Charged with Illegal Import of Radioactive Material into Russia
- 4 May 2005: Russian Customs Intercepts 200 Radioactive Cargoes in Far East from 1995-2005
- 10 February 2005: Russian Officials Says No Uranium Stolen from Rosatom Facilities
- 8 February 2005: Boris Berezovsky Claims Chechen Fighters Have "Nuclear Suitcase Bomb"
- 30 January 2005: IAEA Director General Concerned That Terrorists Could Steal Nuclear Materials
- 29 January 2005: North Korea Alleged to Have Purchased Nuclear Weapon from Former Soviet Republics
- 22 December 2004: HEU Repatriated from Czech Republic to Russia
- 3 November 2004: U.S.-Ukraine Cooperate on Establishing Register of Radioactive Sources
- 20 October 2004: Boris Berezovsky Claims He Prevented Sale of Nuclear Weapon to Chechen Fighters
- 1 November 2003: Analysis Asserts WMD Smuggling Increasing in South Caucasus
8 March 2005 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 8 February 2005: Attempted Theft of Radioactive Scrap Thwarted in Aktau, Kazakhstan
- 24 January 2005: Cesium-137 Seized in Crimea, Ukraine
- 18 January 2005: Radioactive Material Seized on Russian-Georgian Border
- 29 December 2004: Depleted Uranium Confiscated on Russian-Kazakhstani Border
- 20 November 2004: Radioactive Container Found in South Kazakhstan Oblast
- 8 November 2004: Radioactive Material Discovered near Tbilisi, Georgia
- 29 October 2004: Radioactive Scrap Found in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia
- 16 August 2004: Radioactive Material Reportedly Seized near Odessa, Ukraine
- 12 August 2004: Radioactive Scrap Seized in Volgograd, Russia
Other items in this release:
- 28 January 2005: Moldova and Ukraine Sign Border Control Agreement
- 29 December 2004: Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan to Cooperate on Border Control
- 10 December 2004: Security Upgrades Completed at Three Russian Nuclear Facilities
- 5 November 2004: Radioactive Scrap at Aktau, Kazakhstan Chemical Plant Reported Vulnerable to Theft
- 20 October 2004: China Studying Russian Nuclear Facility Security Procedures
- 16 September 2004: Rosatom Head Assesses Security at Russian Nuclear Facilities
- 20 August 2004: RTGs Scheduled to be Removed from Murmansk Oblast Lighthouses by 2005
- 18 August 2004: Saratov Court Convicts Two of Smuggling Radioactive Material
- 3 August 2004: Russian Defense Minister Says Nuclear Weapons Secure
10 December 2004 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 2 November 2004: Small Amount of Pu-238 Recovered in Altay Kray, Russia
- 19 October 2004: Radioactive Cargo Seized in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia
- 19 October 2004: Depleted Uranium Found in Saratov, Russia
- 15 October 2004: Cesium-137 Seized in Armenia
- 8 October 2004: Valves Stolen from Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant
- 27 September 2004: Smoke Detectors with Plutonium Seized Near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- 2 September 2004: Americium-241 Seized in Kyiv, Ukraine
- 19 July 2004: Uranium Theft Blocked in Kirovo-Chepetsk, Russia
- 1 June 2004: Materials Contaminated with Radiation Seized in Moscow, Russia
- 27 May 2004: Americium-241 Seized in Novorossiysk, Russia
- 18 May 2004: "Red Mercury" Seized in Odessa, Ukraine
Other items in this release:
- 16 October 2004: Russia and Tajikistan to Cooperate on Border Security
- 8 July 2004: Russian Radwaste Accounting System Incomplete
15 September 2004 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 23 July 2004: Belgorod, Russia Customs Post Detects 145 Radioactive Cargoes During 2004
- 6 May 2004: Cesium Peddlers Arrested in Crimea, Ukraine
- 21 April 2004: Radioactive Container Discovered in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia
- 31 March 2004: Radioactive Instrument Seized on Sakhalin, Russia
- 26 March 2004: Radiation Source Discovered near Elektrostal, Russia
- 26 March 2004: 400g Container Seized on Ukrainian-Hungarian Border in February 2004 Apparently Not Radioactive
- 8 February 2004: Analysts, Officials Discount Claims that Al Queda Has Stolen Russian "Suitcase Nuke"
Other items in this release:
- 10 April 2004: EU to Help Belarus Secure Borders Against Nuclear Smuggling
- 28 March 2004: Norway Asks Canada to Help Secure Russian RTGs
- 9 March 2004: Ukraine Denies Selling Nuclear Weapons to Afghanistan
- 2 March 2004: Kazakhstani Official Warns of Theft Risk at former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site
- 18 February 2004: Kazakhstani Officials Deny Links to A.Q. Khan Network
30 March 2004 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 15 March 2004: Radiation Source Containing Plutonium Seized in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
- 13 March 2004: Radioactive Material Seized on Georgian-Armenian Border
- 24 February 2004: Ukrainian Agents Confiscate 400g of Uranium and Other Radioactive Material
- 20 January 2004: Radioactive Scrap Metal Detected in Novorossiysk, Russia
- 29 December 2003: Armenian Customs Stops Radiation Source Bound for Iran
Other items in this release:
- 3 March 2004: Three Sentenced for Peddling Plutonium in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan
- 5 January 2004: Thieves Continue to Steal Radioactive Scrap Metal from Kara-Balta Ore Mining Combine, Kyrgyzstan
- 31 May 2003: .U.S., Uzbek Officials Discuss Installation of Additional Portal Monitors
- 2 February 2003: U.S. to Assist in Replacement of RTGs at Remote Russian Lighthouses
Other items in this release:
25 February 2004 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 1 February 2004: Radioactive Scrap Metal Peddlers Arrested near Chornobyl, Ukraine
- 28 January 2004: Customs Agents Seize Radioactive Material in Bashkortostan, Russia
- 23 December 2003: Abandoned Radiation Sources Discovered in Akhtyubinsk Oblast, Kazakhstan
- 4 December 2003: Instrument Containing Cesium-137 Missing in Lugansk Oblast, Ukraine
- 20 November 2003: Osmium Scam Artists Arrested in Murmansk Oblast, Russia
- 15 November 2003: Uranium Peddlers Arrested in Brno, Czech Republic
Other items in this release:
- 27 January 2004: Top Minatom Officials Downplay Significance of Nuclear Black Market
- 9 December 2003: Radiation Detector Installed on Norwegian-Russian Border
8 January 2004 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 17 December 2003: Radioactive Tubes Seized in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy
- 9 December 2003: Kiev Police Arrest Thieves with Radioactive Scrap from Chornobyl
- 1 December 2003: Elevated Radiation Level Found on Riga-Moscow Train
- 22 November 2003: Radioactive Materials Peddler Sentenced in Kazakhstan
- 19 November 2003: Stolen Cesium Recovered in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Russia
- 17 November 2003: RTGs on Kola Peninsula Containing Strontium-90 Vandalized
Other items in this release:
- 30 December 2003: Russian News Agency Reports 1993 Theft of Plutonium
- 10 December 2003: Gosatomnadzor Head on Accounting Anomalies, Radiation Source Theft
10 November 2003 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 24 October 2003: Radioactive Strontium Seized in Riga, Latvia
- 11 October 2003: Contaminated Scrap Metal Seized near Chornobyl, Ukraine
- 3 October 2003: Atomflot Manager Arrested with Uranium and Radium
- 26 September 2003: Cesium Stolen in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Russia
- 24 September 2003: Radioactive Package Seized at Kiev Airport
- 23 September 2003: Depleted Uranium Seized in Uralsk, Kazakhstan
- 9 September 2003: Kazakh Customs Returns Radioactive Scrap Metal
- 4 September 2003: Cesium-137 Source Missing in Vologodskaya Oblast, Russia
- 3 September 2003: Polish Police Seize Radioactive Cesium
- 27 August 2003: Instrument Containing Plutonium-238 Stolen in Perm, Russia
- 7 August 2003: Georgian Authorities Resume Search for Missing RTGs
- 7 August 2003: Police Confiscate Americium-241 in Kiev, Ukraine
- 31 July 2003: Kazakhstani Police Seize Plutonium-239 Source
- 27 June 2003: Georgian Border Guards
Seize "Uranium" on Georgian-Armenian Border
Other items in this release:
- 14 October 2003: Con Artists Selling "Plutonium" Convicted, Sentenced in Sarov, Russia
- 22 September 2003: International Operation Removes HEU from Romanian Research Facility
- 22 August 2003: Slightly Radioactive Stones Erroneously Seized in Murmansk Oblast, Russia
- May 2003: GAO Reports Efforts to Control Sealed Radioactive Sources Need Strengthening
20 August 2003 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 26 July 2003: Ukrainian Police Find Cesium-137
- 25 July 2003: Primorskiy Kray Police Seize Uranium
- 23 July 2003: Primorskiy Kray Police Arrest Cesium Peddlers
- 25 June 2003: Ukrainian Police Arrest Two, Seize Cesium
- 24 June 2003: Five Radioactive Incidents Reported in Sverdlovsk Oblast in 2002
- 17 June 2003: Tbilisi Police Seize Cesium, Strontium, Mustard Gas
- 13 June 2003: Thai Police Seize Cesium
- 10 June 2003: Belarusian KGB Reports Seizing Two Containers of Cesium
- 15 April 2003: Kyrgyzstani Police Arrest Thieves with Ytterbium Oxide
- 1 April 2003: Radioactive Cargo from Uzbekistan Seized at Almaty Airport
Other items in this release:
- 17 July 2003: Analysis of June 2003 Seizure of Cesium in Thailand
- 6 May 2003: Three Sentenced in July 2001 Paris HEU Case
- 14 November 2002: Russian Officials Admit Thefts of Nuclear Material in Previous Decade
11 June 2003 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 21 May 2003: Europium Thieves Arrested in Kyrgyzstan
- 8 May 2003: Orphaned Cesium-137 Sources Found in Tbilisi, Georgia
- 8 May 2003: Slightly Radioactive Cargo Seized, Released in Komi Republic, Russia
- 21 April 2003: Radioactive Container Seized in Kaliningrad, Russia
- 14 February 2003: Suspects with Radioactive Material Arrested in Odessa, Ukraine
Other items in this release:
- 23 May 2003: Professor Claims Greece is "Crossroads" of Nuclear Trafficking
- 15 May 2003: Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Minimizes Threat of Nuclear Materials Theft
8 May 2003 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 5 May 2003: Radioactive Container Discovered in Magadan Oblast, Russia
- 17 April 2003: Stolen RTG Recovered in Leningrad Oblast, Russia
- 16 April 2003: Radiation Sources Found at Destroyed Grozny Chemical Plant
Other items in this release:
- 21 January 2003: Chornobyl NPP Management Denies Theft Charges
15 April 2003 Update:
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 4 April 2003: Cesium-137 Seized in Akhtubinsk, Russia
- 2 March 2003: Osmium-187 Seized in Omsk, Russia
- 12 March 2003: "Radioactive" Mercury Seized in Tajikistan
- 26 February 2003: Radioactive Equipment Found in Bashkortostan, Russia
- 17 February 2003: Radioactive Cesium Missing from Georgian Military Base
- 13 February 2003: Cesium Peddlers Arrested in Belarus
- 12 February 2003: Radioactive Container Seized on Belarusian-Polish Border
- 17 January 2003: Radioactive Cargo Turned Back at Kazakhstani-Chinese Border
- 20 December 2002:Paper Alleges Uranium Theft from Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrate Plant
- 3 October 2003: Radioactive Cesium, Cadmium Found in Chita Oblast, Russia (updated)
Other items in this release:
- 25 March 2003: Trial of Accused HEU Smugglers Opens in Paris, France
- 21 March 2003: Central Asian Customs Officials Receive Countersmuggling Training in United States
- 13 March 2003: International Conference Discusses Security of Radiation Sources
- 13 March 2003: Minister of Atomic Energy Rumyantsev Announces Antiterrorism Measures
- 13 March 2003: Russia Takes Steps to Account for Radiation Sources
- 21 February 2003: Gosatomnadzor Official Admits "Two or Three" Attempted Nuclear Material Thefts in 2002
- 5 February 2003: Minister of Atomic Energy Says All Stolen Nuclear Material Recovered
- 30 January 2003: Russian General Says Chechen Rebels Still Hope to Steal Nuclear Warheads
- 19 January 2003: Kazakhstan Reports Data on Illicit Trade Activity in 2002
- 15 January 2003: Report Alleges Soviet Atomic Demolition Munitions Placed in United States
- 14 January 2003: Russian Environmentalist Says Russia Vulnerable to Nuclear Terrorism
- 14 January 2003: Minatom Official Says Chechen Rebels Cannot Build Nuclear Weapons
- 25 December 2002: Article Analyzes Illicit Radioisotope Trafficking in Russia
4 February 2003 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 30 January 2003: Uranium Dioxide Found on Moscow Street
- 9 January 2003: Europium Stolen from Kyrgyzstani Factory
- 10 December 2002: Unidentified Radioactive Material Reported Stolen from Sosny Institute, Belarus
- 5 December 2002: Cobalt-60 Peddlers Arrested in Tver Oblast, Russia
- 5 November 2002: Radioactive Scrap Metal Found in Volgograd, Russia
- 22 October 2002: Radioactive Scrap Seized on Kazakhstani-Chinese Border
- 18 September 2002: Radioactive Material Seized in Krasnodar Kray, Russia
- 23 May 2002: Uranium and Cesium Siezed in Poltava Oblast, Ukraine
Other items in this release:
- 18 December 2002: Joint Abkhaz-Georgian Committee to Examine Radiation Security
- 7 December 2002: U.S. To Help Equip Kazakhstani Border Posts
- 5 November 2002: Tatarstan Case Involving Radioactive Scrap Dismissed
- 1 November 2002: Russian Paper Analyzes Threat of Nuclear Terrorism
- Summer 2002: Joint Abkhaz-Georgian Proposals on Radwaste Safety and Security
20 December 2002 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 6 December 2002: Suspects in December 2001 Seizure of LEU in Balashika, Russia, Tried, Convicted
- 5 December 2002: Cesium-137 Stolen from Bulgarian Factory
- 21 November 2002: Radioactive Container Found in Samara, Russia
- 29 October 2002: Cesium-137 Thieves in Sukhumi, Georgia (Abkhazia) Exposed to Radiation
- 27 March 2002: Radioactive Containers Found in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan
- 15 October 2002: Radioactive Material Seized on Russian-Azerbaijani Border (updated)
- 17 April 2001: Bulgarian Police Seize Radioactive Sphere
Other items in this release:
- 30 November 2002: Russia to Install Radiation Monitors at All Border Posts during 2003
- 11 November 2002: Soviet Research Project Abandoned Thousands of Radiation Sources
- 14 October 2002: Gosatomnadzor Official Admits Thefts of Nuclear Material in Past Decade
- 3 October 2002: IAEA Conducts Countersmuggling Training in Vladivostok, Russia
- 1 July 2002: IAEA Finds No Additional RTGs in Georgia
- 10 November 2001: Security Increased at Russian Nuclear Facilities
18 November 2002 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 15 October 2002: Chechen Resident Arrested on Russian-Azerbaijani Border for Smuggling Radiation Source
- 3 October 2002: Radiation Source Discovered in Chita Oblast, Russia
- 9 October 2002: Paperwork Dispute Leads to Seizure of 27 t of LEU by Russian Customs
- 30 September 2002: Radioactive Sand Seized on Kazakhstani-Chinese Border
- 20 September 2002: Russian Attempting to Sell Strontium-90 Arrested in Ukraine
- 21 September 2002: Russian Arrested in Ukraine for Peddling Uranium
- 18 September 2002: Cesium Seized in Almaty, Kazakhstan
- 17 September 2002: LEU Seized in Minsk in January 2002 Probably Stolen from Chernobyl NPP
- 6 September 2002: Cesium Source Found in Petrozavodsk, Russia.
- 4 September 2002: Children Found Playing with Radiation Source in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia
- 22 May 2002: Belarusian Arrested in Moscow While Peddling Radioactive Material
- 16 May 2002: Bulgarian Police Arrest Two for Possession of "Plutonium Sensors"
Other items in this release:
- 27 October 2002: Media Reports Claim Osmium Smuggling Threatens Russia
- 9 October 2002: Ukrainian Institute Denies Possible Sale of Uranium
- 12 September 2002: Ukrainian Communist Parliamentarian Claims 200 Former Soviet Nuclear Warheads Unaccounted For
- 11 September 2002: Communist Russian Duma Deputy Claims Osmium Smuggling a Proliferation Threat
- 28 August 2002: Finnish Security Police Probe Possible Nuclear Smuggling
8 October 2002 Update
Reported Thefts and Seizures in this release:
- 1 October 2002: Material Seized in Sunliurfa, Turkey not Uranium
- 25 August 2002: Cesium-137 Source Found in Dagestan, Russia
- 11 July 2002: Suspected Paris HEU Smuggler Arrested in Portugal
- 19 July 2002: British Paper Alleges Plutonium Theft at Volgodonsk NPP
- 4 July 2002: Cesium-137 Seized in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan
- 10 June 2002: LEU Seized in Izhevsk, Russia
- 1 June 2002: Cesium Seized in Lithuania not Radioactive
- 21 May 2002: Cesium-137 Stolen from Belarusian Cement Plant
- 23 April 2002: Cesium-137 Stolen from Ukrainian Sugar Factory
- 9 April 2002: Radiation Source Seized in Kazakhstan
- 31 January 2002: Russian Customs Intercepts Contaminated Cargo
- May 2001: Navy Accused of Violating Spent Fuel Transport Regulations
- 21 November 2001: Russian Nuclear Regulatory Official Reveals Nuclear Material Accounting Discrepancy
Other items in this release:
- 4 September 2002: Russian Ministry of Defense Says Nuclear Warheads Secure
- 14 August 2002: Kazakhstan to Tighten Radiation Monitoring at Borders
- 7 August 2002: Uzbekistan Tightens Radiation Monitoring at Borders
- 1 August 2002: Article Analyzes Threat of Nuclear Smuggling in Turkey
- 29 June 2002: Abkhaz, Georgian Officials Disagree about Missing HEU
- 23 April 2002: Russia Tightens Antismuggling Laws
- 19 February 2002: Lithuanian Court Confirms Russian Ownership of Beryllium Seized in 1993
- 5 February 2002: Radiation Detectors Installed on Lithuanian-Belarusian Border
1 May 2002 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 4 April 2002: IAEA Recovers Soviet-Made Cobalt-60 Source from Kabul Hospital
- 4 April 2002: Lithuanian Troops Recover Part of Stolen Nuclear Fuel Assembly near Ignalina
- 3 April 2002: Russian Customs Agents Find Radiation Source at Leningrad Checkpoint
- 3 April 2002: Cesium-137 Sources Discovered in Groznyy
- 27 March 2002: Tajikistani Authorities Arrest Four, Recover 2kg Natural Uranium Stolen from Vostokredmet
- 26 March 2002: Iran Covertly Mining Uranium in Azerbaijan, Baku Newspaper Reports
- 18 March 2002: Thorium-232 Seized on Russia-Kazakhstan Border
- 16 March 2002: Lithuanian Officials Recover Uranium Stolen from Ignalina in 1992
- 11 March 2002: Kazakhstani Officials Confiscate 1.5kg Uranium Oxide, Heroin
- 6 March 2002: Belarusian Police Seize Weapons, Radioactive Materials from Crime Ring
- 20 February 2002: Radiation Source Discovered at Georgian Port
- 14 February 2002: Two Krypton-85 Sources Stolen in Smolensk Oblast
- 12 February 2002: Cesium-137 Source Discovered in Zestafoni, Georgia
- 4 February 2002: Contaminated Metal Seized from Train Car on Russia-China Border
- 31 January 2002: Radioactive Medical Waste Delivered to Moscow Refuse Plant
- 27 January 2002: Turkish Police Seize Two Grams of "Red Mercury" from Russian Couple
- 15 January 2002: Radiothermal Generators Containing Strontium-90 Discovered in Liya, Georgia (Updated)
- 28 December 2001: Osmium Seized in Russia (Updated)
- 22 December 2001: Georgia Arrests Uranium Smuggler
- 31 October 2001: Cesium-137 Container Stolen from Ore-enriching Plant
- 15 October 2001: Plutonium Seized from Tbilisi Apartments
- 29 September 2001: Cesium Stolen, Radioactive Isotope Warheads Reportedly Unsecured in Moldova
Other Items in This release:
- 18 March 2002: Radiothermal Generators in NIS Uncontrolled, Unprotected
- 19 February 2002: Russian Physicist Rules out Theft of Weapons-Grade Nuclear Materials
- 5 February 2002: Radiation Detection Equipment Installed at Turkish Border Crossing
- 1 February 2002: U.S. National Intelligence Council Issues Report on Security of Russian Nuclear Weapons and Materials
- 18 January 2002: Bulgaria to Take Measures against Trafficking in Nuclear Material
- 24 December 2001: Uzbekistan to Produce Radiation Monitoring Equipment
- 11 December 2001: DOE Antes up $1.2 Million for IAEA to Combat Nuclear Terrorism
- 1 November 2001: Threat from "Dirty" Bomb Analyzed
22 February 2002 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 17 January 2002: Belarusian Police Arrest Uranium Smugglers
- 17 January 2002: Suspect Selling Strontium-90 Arrested in Minsk, Belarus
- 15 January 2002: Radiothermal Generators Containing Strontium-90 Discovered in Liya, Georgia
- 28 December 2001: Osmium Peddlers Arrested in Moscow, Russia
- 18 December 2001: Cobalt-60 Traffickers Arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia
- 4 December 2001: LEU Peddlers Arrested in Balashika, Russia
- 21 October 2001: Uranium Seized in Paris in July 2001 Reportedly from NIS (update)
- 30 August 2001: Workers at Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrate Plant Arrested for Zirconium Theft
- 29 August 2001: Zirconium Shipment Seized in Belarus
- 23 September 2000: Radioactive Scrap Seized on Russian-Chinese Border
- 29 August 2000: Russian Nuclear Regulatory Agency Reports May 2000 Seizure of HEU in Elektrostal, Russia
- 30 June 2000: Instruments Containing Cesium-137 and Americium-241 Stolen in Raichikhinsk, Russia
Other Items in This Release:
- 9 January 2002: Georgian Minister Says Former Russian Military Base Must be Searched for Orphaned Radiation Sources
- 22 October 2001: Ukraine and United States Sign Export and Border Control Agreement
- 4 October 2001: IAEA Outlines Program to Combat Nuclear Smuggling
- 2 October 2001: Radiation Monitors Installed at Uzbekistani Border Crossings
- 25 September 2001: Physics Conference in Uzbekistan Discusses Combatting Illicit Trafficking
- 1 June 2001: Radiation Monitors Tested on Austrian-Hungarian Border
- 1 June 2001: Journal Article Assesses Threat of Nuclear Trafficking
17 January 2002 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 13 September 2001: Cesium-137 Seized from Car in Nalchik, Russia
- 30 August 2001: Osmium-187 Seized, Thieves Arrested in Istanbul, Turkey
- 30 August 2001: Radioactive Object Found in Nizhniy Novgorod Oblast, Russia
- 26 August 2001: Uranium Seized from Villager in West Bengal, India
- 24 August 2001: Cesium-137 Found on Vaziani Military Base, Georgia
- 1 June 2001: Plutonium Source Reported Seized in Liepaja, Latvia
- 1 June 2001: Plutonium Source Reported Seized in Kara-Balta, Kyrgyzstan
Other items in this release:
- 29 August 2001: Kazakhstani President Warns of Terrorist Nuclear Threat
- 28 August 2001: NIS Border Officials Trained in US to Combat Nuclear Materials Smuggling
15 September 2001 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 23 August 2001: Cesium-137 Stolen in Vologda Oblast, Russia
- 24 July 2001: LEU Seized in Batumi, Georgia
- 23 July 2001: 5g HEU Seized in Paris, France
- 18 July 2001: Radiation Source Stolen in Orenburg Oblast, Russia
- 9 June 2001: Radiation Source Found in Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia
Other Items in this release:
- 18 July 2001: Lithuanian Convicted in US of Attempted Sale of Tactical Nuclear Weapons Deported to Lithuania
- 1 June 2001: Radium Traffickers Trial Begins in Novosibirsk, Russia
- 21 May 2001: Russian Customs Officials Discuss Nuclear Smuggling Threat
- 21 May 2001: Physicist Discusses HEU Missing from Research Institute in Sukhumi, Georgia
23 July 2001 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 16 May 2001: Radiation Source Found in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia
- 14 May 2001: Radioactive Materials Found in Moscow Apartment
- 7 May 2001: Kazakhstani Customs Detains Truck with Radiocative Cargo
- 28 April 2001: Russian Naval Officers Arrested for Selling Radioactive Instruments
- 27 April 2001: Radioactive Metal Rods Discovered in Vladivostok, Russia
- 18 April 2001: Turkish Police Arrest Osmium Traffickers
- 11 April 2001: Radiation Source Stolen from Plant in Mykolayiv, Ukraine
- 6 April 2001: Radioactive Cargo Detained by Kazakhstain Customs at Chinese Border
5 April 2001 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 10 March 2001: Moscow Police Halt Radioactive Cesium Deal
- 7 March 2001: Radioactive Cargo Stopped on Russian-Kazakhstani Border
- 3 March 2001: "Nuclear Projectile" Seized in Turkey
- 27 February 2001: Radioactive Container Detected in Sverdlovsk Oblast
- 1 February 2001: Radioactive Material Handed in to Moscow Metro Police
- 31 January 2001: Stolen Radioactive Instruments Seized in Kamchatka Oblast, Russia (Updated)
- 30 January 2001: Plates Containing Plutonium Seized in Greece (Updated)
Other Items in this release:
- 27 February 2001: Nuclear Smugglers Convicted in North Ossetia, Russia
- 26 February 2001: Israel Concerned Iraq May Smuggle in Nuclear Material
- 16 February 2001: Tajikistani Official Notes Threat of Nuclear Smuggling
- 23 January 2001: Five Indicted in Romania for Nuclear Smuggling
15 February 2001 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 31 January 2001: Stolen Radioactive Instruments Seized in Kamchatka Oblast, Russia
- 30 January 2001: Plates Containing Plutonium Seized in Greece
- 30 January 2001: Radioactive Thorium Seized on Russian-Kazakhstani Border
- 26 January 2001: 35 Loads of Radioactive Scrap Interdicted on Russian-Kazakhstani Border in 2000
- 25 January 2001: Radioactive Scrap Metal from Chornobyl Exclusion Zone Seized
- 19 January 2001: 100kg of Radioactive Material Seized by Transbaykal, Russia Border Guards in 2000
- 22 December 2000: Uranium Seizure in Vladivostok, Russia Recounted
Other Items in this release:
- 2 February 2001: Cyprus Denies Involvement in Plutonium Smuggling
- 15 January 2001: Russian Atomic Energy Minister Questioned About Nuclear Technology Leakage
- 10 January 2001: DOE Task Force Says Russian Nuclear Material Insecure, Urges Increased Assistance
- 9 January 2001: Turner, Nunn Form "Nuclear Threat Initiative"
- 25 December 2000: Bin Laden Reportedly Trying to Purchase Former Soviet Nuclear Weapons
- 20 December 2000: Bashkortostan, Russia Firm Bribed to Illegally Dispose of Radwaste
- 8 December 2000: Bulgarian Weekly Examines 1999 HEU Smuggling Case
15 December 2000 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 27 November 2000: Zirconium Trafficker Arrested in Omsk, Russia
- 27 November 2000: Cesium-137 Stolen from Ukrainian Mine
- 10 November 2000: Ukrainian Customs Seizes Radioactive Cobalt
- 14 October 2000: Radioactive Cesium Missing From Plant in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia
- 16 September 2000: Uranium Traffckers Arrested in Romania
Other Items in this release:
- 30 November 2000: Lithuanian Experts Discuss Nuclear Trafficking
- 17 November 2000: Nuclear Material Secured at Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrate Plant
- 13 November 2000: IAEA to Assist Belarus Combat Nuclear Trafficking
1 November 2000 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 30 October 2000: Minatom Official Says 1998 Theft Attempt in Chelyabinsk Involved HEU
- 20 October 2000: Radiation Source Seized from Car in Rivne, Ukraine
- 6 October 2000: Police Seize 150g Uranium in Erdine, Turkey
- 16 September 2000: Uranium, Plutonium Seized from Smugglers in Tbilisi, Georgia
- 27 September 2000: Radiation Sources Discovered in Grozny, Chechnya
- 21 August 2000: Radioactive Instrument Lost in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine
- 18 July 2000: Radioactive Scrap Metal Detected at St. Petersburg Port
- 4 April 2000: Radioactive Scrap Metal Seized in Mangistau Oblast, Kazakhstan
Other Items in this release:
- 30 September 2000: Radioactive Shell Fragments Recovered in Donetsk, Ukraine
- 29 September 2000: Problems with Orphaned Radiation Sources in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan
- 28 September 2000: Minatom Official Discusses Attempted Thefts of Fissile Materials
- 14 August 2000: Bulgarian Official Discusses May 1999 Seizure of HEU
- 11 August 2000: General Notes Delays in Upgrading Nuclear Weapon Storage Sites
- 22 March 2000: Five Sailors Killed in Attempted Theft from Decommissioned Nuclear Submarine (updated)
22 August 2000 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 9 August 2000: Radioactive Instrument Detected in Scrap Metal Shipment in Komsomolsk-na-Amure, Russia
- 29 July 2000: Smoke Detectors Containing Pu-239 Discovered in Krasnoyarsk
- 28 July 2000: Uranium Seized from Traffickers in Vladikavkaz, Russia
- 27 July 2000: Radioactive Instruments Discovered in Kaliningrad, Russia
- 25 July 2000: Radioactive Substance Confiscated from Smugglers in Kaunas, Lithuania
- 24 July 2000: 10 MT of Radioactive Pipes Stolen from Chornobyl, Ukraine Plant
- 18 July 2000: Radioactive Container Found in Downtown Stavropol, Russia
- 14 July 2000: Radium-226 Seized from Smugglers in Novosibirsk, Russia
- 8 July 2000: Radioactive Instrument Stolen from Factory in Novgorod Oblast, Russia
- 11 July 2000: Ukrainian Police Confiscate Radioactive Cesium in Dnipropetrovsk
- 7 July 2000: Cadmium Seized in Zheleznogorsk, Russia
- 4 July 2000: Kazak Police Seize 90kg of Radioacative Mercury
- 29 June 2000: Police Arrest Alleged Plutonium Smugglers in Dagestan Russia
- 3 April 2000: Orphaned Radiation Sources Recovered in Groznyy, Russia (updated with new information)
Other Items in this release:
- 28 July 2000: Azerbaijan Denies Receiving Shipment of Radioactive Cesium
- 27 July 2000: GAN Critical of Russian Nuclear Material Transport Regulations, Cites Violations
- 30 June 2000: Isotope Thieves Sentenced in Sverdlovsk Oblast
- 12 June 2000: Radwaste Theft Problems at Kara Balta Ore Combine, Krygyzstan
- 19 April 2000: Uranium Smugglers Sentenced in Tajikistan
7 July 2000 Update
Reported thefts and seizures in this release:
- 5 July 2000: LEU Seized in Almaty, Kazakhstan
- 21 June 2000: Osmium Seized in Novosibirsk, Russia
- 13 June 2000:







