IAEA Database on Trafficking of Nuclear and Other Radioactive Material Records 4243 Incidents Since 1993


A total of 4243 incidents of illegal or unauthorized activities involving nuclear and other radioactive material have been reported in the IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) since 1993, according to a new factsheet released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today.

In 2023, 168 incidents were reported by 31 States, in line with historical averages. The ITDB receives information on incidents ranging from illegal possession, attempted sale and smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material to unauthorized disposal of material and discovery of lost radioactive sources. Six of the incidents reported in 2023 were likely related to trafficking or malicious use.

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Source: international Atomic Energy Agency


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