Mexico Thieves Make Off With Radioactive X-Ray Material

Mexican Thieves Make Off With Radioactive Radioactive X-Ray Material

MEXICO CITY, April 16 (Reuters) - Radioactive industrial x-ray material has been stolen in Mexico's eastern coastal state of Tabasco, Mexican authorities said, the latest in a string of such thefts.

The material, Iridium-192 was reported stolen on Monday from a pickup truck in Cardenas, Tabasco, authorities said in a statement late on Wednesday. Used for mobile industrial x-rays, the substance would be dangerous if removed from its container, authorities said.

A load of the same material was stolen in a pickup truck in an industrial Mexico City suburb last July.

Thieves in December 2013 also made off with a truck containing Cobalt-60, a radioactive medical material that the United Nations' nuclear agency said could provide an ingredient for a "dirty bomb." That radioactive load was also found dumped by the thieves close to where it was stolen. (Reporting by Anahi Rama and Alexandra Alper Editing by W Simon)

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot