According to the OC Media, the SSG says the suspects — a Georgian citizen and an unnamed foreign national — were planning a hand-to-hand sale when agents moved in. According to the official statement, preliminary tests indicate the material “could be used in the manufacture of explosive devices,” capable of causing mass casualties. The service did not specify the isotope, the degree of enrichment, or the exact weight of the seizure, citing the ongoing investigation.
A familiar smuggling corridor
Although spectacular, Thursday’s bust is far from unprecedented. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia has become an unfortunate crossroads for nuclear and radiological contraband. In 2019, two men were caught trying to sell US$2.8 million worth of uranium-238, and in 2016, authorities broke up two separate rings involving both uranium-238 and the far more dangerous uranium-235. Western security analysts describe the South Caucasus as a “soft underbelly” of Europe, where porous borders and sprawling Black Sea ports are exploited by brokers who shuttle illicit cargo between Russia, the Middle East, and Europe’s shadow markets.
Dirty-bomb material is the commodity of choice. Low-enriched uranium or medical-grade radiological sources are simpler to hide and far easier to weaponise than the highly enriched metal required for an actual nuclear device. A few hundred grams of powdered uranium mixed with conventional explosives can render city blocks uninhabitable for years, explains retired IAEA inspector Lasha Gelashvili. “The radiological impact is limited, but the panic and economic damage are enormous,” he told local media.
Charges and penalties
Prosecutors have charged the Batumi pair under Article 230 of Georgia’s criminal code, which covers the illegal purchase, possession, and disposal of nuclear or radiological substances. Conviction carries a five- to ten-year prison term. Investigators are also exploring whether the foreign suspect was a prospective buyer or merely a courier for a third-party client. If transnational links are proven, penalties could be upgraded under Georgia’s anti-terrorism statutes, potentially doubling the maximum jail time.
Regional ripples
News of the arrests sparked immediate concern in neighboring Turkey, whose eastern border lies less than 20 kilometres from Batumi. Turkey's interior ministry said it had “requested detailed isotope data” from Tbilisi and offered laboratory support should Georgia need help identifying the seized material’s provenance. NATO’s Liaison Office in the South Caucasus praised the swift operation and reiterated the alliance’s willingness to fund additional radiation-detection portals at Georgian border crossings.
Looking ahead
While Thursday’s sting underscores Georgia’s growing expertise in counter-nuclear smuggling, it also highlights how demand for radioactive material persists despite tighter global safeguards. Experts warn that as long as legacy stockpiles from the Soviet military-industrial complex remain incompletely catalogued, Black Sea traffickers will continue to probe for buyers. For buyers, a gap in the fence is all they need.
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