Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mexico scrambles to find stolen radioactive material
Yahoo News ^ | 04/15/2015 | By Laurent Tho

Posted on 04/16/2015 3:19:17 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Mexico City (AFP) - Authorities appealed for help among Mexico's population on Thursday to locate stolen radioactive material, the latest theft of such dangerous substances in the country.

The interior ministry issued an alert in five southern and eastern states late Wednesday, two days after a toolbox-sized container carrying the Iridium-192 source was snatched from a truck in a residential parking lot in Cardenas, Tabasco state.

Luis Felipe Puente, the national civil protection coordinator, urged ordinary Mexicans to be on the lookout and notify the authorities right away if they find the material, which is used for industrial radiography to check welding seams.

He noted that in previous similar cases the thieves did not even know what kind of material they had taken. There have been three other cases since 2013 and the material was always recovered.

"Each time that one of these units have disappeared from the hands of companies in charge of them, we have recovered them with the help of the population," Puente told Milenio television.

He urged anybody who finds it to stay away and quickly call the authorities.

Puente posted a picture of the metallic 50-by-30 centimeter container on his Twitter page. The tri-foil radiation symbol is printed in red on a yellow plate with the warning "caution radioactive material."

The theft was reported by the company Garantia Radiografica e Ingenieria on Monday.

- Safe in container -

An official at Mexico's National Nuclear Security and Safety Commission told AFP that the container was among other things that were snatched from inside the truck, which was in a residential parking lot late at night.

The thieves left the vehicle and stole a second truck, said Christian Romero, the commission's deputy director for radiological emergencies.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Mexico; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: mexico; radioactive; radioactivetheft
Hmmmm... I wonder if the above news has any relation to this one:

ISIS running training camp on Texas border


1 posted on 04/16/2015 3:19:17 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Mexican authorities probably sold it to ISIS.

Or granted it to them.

2 posted on 04/16/2015 3:20:59 PM PDT by skeeter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

This has happened many times. Old medical sources, well loggers, etc... Just some guy looking for a quick buck by snagging a “tool box.”


3 posted on 04/16/2015 3:22:06 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
He noted that in previous similar cases the thieves did not even know what kind of material they had taken.

At least not until they read your announcement in the newspaper, Luis. Now they know they have more than just a toolbox full of tools and probably no shortage of serious buyers.

4 posted on 04/16/2015 3:24:04 PM PDT by frog in a pot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Half life Ir 192 is 74 days


5 posted on 04/16/2015 3:27:27 PM PDT by BigEdLB (They need to target the 'Ministry of Virtue' which has nothing to do with virtue.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Not again!!


6 posted on 04/16/2015 3:27:37 PM PDT by Ben Mugged (The number one enemy of liberalism is reality.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
There have been three other cases since 2013 and the material was always recovered

They look for the person glowing in the dark.

7 posted on 04/16/2015 3:30:32 PM PDT by Robert DeLong (u)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

In Mexico, if it is not bolted down, and even then...................


8 posted on 04/16/2015 3:30:44 PM PDT by doorgunner69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Iridium-192 source was snatched from a truck in a residential parking lot in Cardenas, Tabasco state

The latest thing from Tabasco, Mexico; hot sauce so hot it glows in the dark.

9 posted on 04/16/2015 3:31:18 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (My tagline is in the shop.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Iridium-192 (symbol 192Ir) is a radioactive isotope of iridium, with a half-life of 73.83 days.[1] It decays by emitting beta (β) particles and gamma (γ) radiation. About 96% of 192Ir decays occur via emission of β and γ radiation, leading to 192Pt. Some of the β particles are captured by other 192Ir nuclei, which are then converted to 192Os. Electron capture is responsible for the remaining 4% of 192Ir decays.[2]

Iridium-192 is also a strong gamma ray emitter. There are seven principal energy packets produced during its disintegration process ranging from just over 0.2 to about 0.6 MeV. Iridium-192 is commonly used as a gamma ray source in industrial radiography to locate flaws in metal components.[3] It is also used in radiotherapy as a radiation source, in particular in brachytherapy.

Iridium-192 has accounted for the majority of cases tracked by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in which radioactive materials have gone missing in quantities large enough to make a dirty bomb.

From wikipedia

10 posted on 04/16/2015 3:33:21 PM PDT by SpeakerToAnimals (I hope to earn a name in battle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Each time that one of these units have disappeared from the hands of companies in charge of them, we have recovered them with the help of the population,"

Each time? How many times has this happened?
11 posted on 04/16/2015 3:42:04 PM PDT by Signalman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Yup. If you’re thinking we should be worried. Hell yes, we need to be worried, and as usual the MSM makes no mention of this.


12 posted on 04/16/2015 3:58:36 PM PDT by dowcaet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

FReepers! Let's go!
Everyone needs to help!


Please contribute today!

13 posted on 04/16/2015 4:06:56 PM PDT by RedMDer (Keep Free Republic Alive with YOUR Donations!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

What is this? The third time in the last few years?


14 posted on 04/16/2015 5:23:46 PM PDT by GOPJ (Hillary Candidacy Like "Weekend At Bernie's" they'll have to keep proppering her up - H.Hewitt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Have they asked Eric Holder to look in his training camp in Mexico that he set up for ISIS?


15 posted on 04/16/2015 6:39:29 PM PDT by eyeamok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson