- Nuclear and radioactive materials
Article by Kotie Geldenhuys
Photos courtesy of Freepik and Wikimedia
When one hears the words “nuclear material trafficking,” images of shadowy figures and dramatic Hollywood plots often come to mind, where terrorists are smuggling bomb-grade uranium across borders, as if ripped from the script of a James Bond film. Although it may seem like a storyline best suited for the big screen, the reality is more grounded and far from fictional.
The trafficking of nuclear or radioactive materials is not only illegal but also a serious indication of potential weaknesses within a country’s regulatory systems, border security and nuclear material accounting procedures. Each incident raises alarm over the possibility that dangerous substances could fall into the wrong hands, with potential catastrophic consequences.
In a case that has reignited global concerns over nuclear trafficking, a high-ranking figure in Japan’s criminal underworld pleaded guilty in a USA federal court to a complex and brazen scheme involving nuclear materials, narcotics and weapons trafficking.
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[This is only an extract of an article published in Servamus: January 2026. This article is available for purchase.]