site.btaEighty Discs of Radioactive Americium 241 Found in Plovdiv

Eighty discs of the radioactive Americium 241 were found in the southern city of Plovdiv during a special law enforcement operation, the Plovdiv District Prosecution Office told a news briefing on Friday.

Law enforcers found 44 discs of Americium 241 in a car that was stopped on the city’s ring road. In subsequent searches another 35 discs were found in Karlovo and one in Parvenets. An investigation is underway, said supervising prosecutor Slavena Kostova.

Two men have been detained for 72 hours and have been charged with involvement in an organized crime group dealing illegally in ionization sources. These are grave premeditated crimes which carry a prison sentence of over five years as they affect people’s health. Another two persons, who also have been detained, are being questioned, the prosecution said. 

All precaution measures have been taken and the discs were handed to the State Enterprise for Radioactive Waste. More tests are pending in the case.