3 Chinese citizens arrested in Georgia for attempting to buy uranium

Core samples at a core processing facility at NexGen Energy Ltd.'s Rook 1 project near Patterson Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (File Photo)

TBILISI, Georgia — Three Chinese citizens have been arrested in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, while attempting to illegally purchase 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of uranium, the country’s State Security Service said Saturday.

The suspects planned to transport the nuclear material to China through Russia, the security service said in a statement, while also releasing video footage of the detention operation.

“Three Chinese citizens have been detained in Tbilisi while attempting to illegally purchase 2 kilograms of nuclear material — uranium,” the agency said, adding that members of the criminal group planned to pay US$400,000 (344,000 euros) for the radioactive material.

According to the authorities, a Chinese citizen already in Georgia, who was in breach of Georgian visa regulations, brought experts to Georgia to search for uranium throughout the country.

Other members of the criminal group coordinated the operation from China, the statement said.

The perpetrators were identified and detained while “negotiating the details of the illegal transaction,” the security service said.

The agency did not specify when the arrests occurred or provide the identities of the suspects.

Sophiko Megrelidze, The Associated Press