Border Force officials have seized material containing uranium at Heathrow Airport and counter-terrorism police have launched an investigation.
The uranium was discovered on 29 December on a passenger who had arrived from Oman, and it is believed the package originated from Pakistan, which according to the Sun was to given to an Iranian business based in the UK.
Uranium can be dangerous because it is an essential component for nuclear devices, and the police have said that there is no risk to the public.
Providing evidence to the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee on Wednesday, Commander Richard Smith, head of the Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism command, said they will “follow every avenue.”
He said, “It’s understandable that a report like this would attract considerable attention and potentially concern.
“The circumstances are that in the course of routine scanning at London Heathrow an element of cargo was identified that was emitting a radioactive signal.
“There are procedures in place to deal with these sorts of incidents and those procedures were enacted.
“As part of that the counter-terrorism commands were contacted and have opened an investigation into the surrounding circumstances.”
A Met spokesperson said, “We can confirm officers from the Met’s counter-terrorism command were contacted by Border Force colleagues at Heathrow after a very small amount of contaminated material was identified after routine screening within a package incoming to the UK on 29 December 2022.”
A Home Office spokesperson said, “We do not comment on live investigations.”
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