Medical Radioactive Material Truck Stolen in Mexico

Medical Radioactive Material Truck Stolen in Mexico

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12832097_s featureExperts warn that such materials can be used to assemble a “Dirty Bomb”. A dirty bomb is a speculative radiological weapon that combines radioactive material with conventional explosives. The purpose of the weapon is to contaminate the area around the dispersal agent/conventional explosion with radioactive material, serving primarily as an area denial device against civilians.

Mexico told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the truck was carrying a “dangerous radioactive source” used for cancer treatments. The radiotherapy source was being taken from a hospital in the northern city of Tijuana to a waste storage centre. It was stolen near the capital, Mexico City.

Mexico’s Nuclear Security Commission said that at the time of the theft, the cobalt-60 teletherapy source was “properly shielded”. But the commission warned it could be “extremely dangerous to a person if removed from the shielding, or if it was damaged”.

IHLS – Israel Homeland Security

Local media reported that the truck, a 2.5-tonne Volkswagen Worker, was stolen by armed men at a petrol station in Tepojaco, on the outskirts of Mexico City on Monday morning. Mexican police are currently conducting a search for the truck and its contents and have issued a press release to alert the public of its potential dangers.

Experts have long warned about the danger posed by radioactive material used for medical treatments and research in hospitals.