Radioactive Material Reported Missing Near Southern U.S. Border — U.S. Officials Staying Silent

A container of Iridium-192 has reportedly gone missing in the southern border state of New Mexico, but only Mexican officials are currently speaking out.

KVIA El-Paso reports:

“The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission radioactive equipment disappeared in southern New Mexico, according to Mexico’s federal government.”

ICR reports:

“The missing equipment is described as a container with Iridium-192, which is used for medical treatments and also in the oil industry, according to the commission.”

The missing equipment is described as a container with Iridium-192, which is used for medical treatments and also in the oil industry, according to the commission.#radioactiveequipment #Iridium-192 #NewMexicohttps://t.co/QCsLIV8YRl pic.twitter.com/WrNs1bO0IB

— International Crisis Room 360 (@ICR360) July 3, 2023

According to KVIA, Juarez Civil Protection Director Roberto Briones said this isn’t the first time his department has issued an alert for missing radioactive materials.

In fact, a cursory overview of news reports on Google suggests Iridium-192 goes missing all the time.

As reported by Discover on March 1, “it’s scary to think how often these dangerous materials” disappear.

“Potentially dangerous radioactive material “goes missing” about 100 times a year worldwide,” Discover explained while citing a February report from The Guardian.

Less than two weeks after the story from Discover, Nuclear Newswire reported that a radiographic camera, including it’s “iridium-192 radioactive sealed source” went missing in Houston, Texas, on March 11.

A 2004 Department of Homeland Security report details the risks associated with a “dirty bomb” made from stolen radioactive materials including Iridium-192.

While U.S. Officials have so far failed to comment on the missing iridium in New Mexico, there’s little doubt that serious concern exists behind the scenes.

Nevertheless, messaging hasn’t been great from federal agencies in the United States and the current silence isn’t helping.

Meanwhile in Mexico, Juarez remains on alert.

“Right now there is an alert issued for the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora,” JCP Director Briones told KVIA, “Authorities say they do not know when the alert will be removed.”

With the threat of impending radiological attack in Ukraine dominating large swaths of the news cycle, perhaps America should direct more attention to thefts of dirty-bomb component materials near our horrendously porous southern border.

Unfortunately for the United States, however, it remains increasingly doubtful that our current Commander in Chief is even paying attention.

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