Three Chinese citizens were detained in Tbilisi for attempting to unlawfully purchase 2 kilograms of radioactive element, Uranium, First Deputy Head of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG), Lasha Maghradze announced at the briefing.

According to the SSSG, members of the criminal group planned to illegally transport the radioactive element to China through Russia’s territory.

“Officers of the Counter-Intelligence and Special Operations Departments of the SSSG, through a jointly conducted operation, detained three Chinese citizens in Tbilisi for attempting to purchase 2 kilograms of Uranium.

Members of the criminal group tried to purchase Uranium at USD 400,000 for its further transportation to China through the Russian Federation’s territory.

As part of the scheme, one of the Chinese citizens, who arrived in Georgia illegally, brought experts interested in acquiring Uranium to Georgia and began actively searching for nuclear material across the country in collaboration with other group members.

During the process of negotiating the details of the illegal transaction, as a result of the received operational information, the perpetrators were identified and arrested. Their temporary residential houses were searched in Tbilisi and Batumi.

A criminal case is in progress under Article 230 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The detainees face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.