On August 16, 2009, radiation monitoring equipment at the Dolbino railroad crossing point of Belgorod station detected radiation emitting from railcar number 5 of the “Nikolaev-Moscow” train en route from Ukraine.[1] Using portable dosimeters, customs officials determined that a Russian citizen’s hand luggage emitted ionizing radiation over 600 times the natural background level. The sources were 28 night-vision aiming devices for Kalashnikov assault rifles, which were manufactured with a material that contained Radium-66 salts. The passenger claimed that he bought these devices at a market in Dnepropetrovsk and planned to use them for night fishing and hunting.
The items were confiscated and slated for disposal.[1] A criminal case was opened under Article 188 of the Criminal Code (smuggling). Further investigation revealed that none of the other passengers’ health was endangered.
[1] “Radioaktivnaya kontrabanda,” [Radioactive smuggling], Nash Belgorod, 2 September 2009, in Integrum Techno database, www.integrum.ru.
Abstract Number: 20090270
Headline: A man carrying radioactive night-vision devices detained in Belgorod
Date: 16 August 2009
Bibliography: "Shesdesyat Shestoy – Radioaktinvnyy" ["Sixty-Sixth, Radioactive"], Belgorodskiye Izvyestiya, 4 September 2009, in Integrum Techno database, www.integrum.ru.
Material: Radium-66
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