NUCLEAR SMUGGLER: Felon Admits Trafficking Plutonium, Thallium to Dozens of US Buyers...

A convicted felon has confessed to smuggling radioactive materials including plutonium and thallium from Russia and distributing them to dozens of buyers across the United States. The case underscores the persistent challenge of preventing illicit nuclear material from reaching unauthorized hands—a concern that has shadowed nonproliferation efforts since the Cold War's end. Such trafficking networks typically exploit gaps in customs enforcement and exploit buyers in industrial, medical, and private sectors who may operate outside regulatory oversight.