Radioactive Sand Found on Russian Woman Returning from India

A Russian woman returning from India was stopped at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport after customs officials detected elevated radiation levels from volcanic sand in her luggage, according to the Federal Customs Service.

The 36-year-old traveler was intercepted in the "green" corridor when the Yantar radiation monitoring system detected abnormal radiation levels from her suitcase. Upon inspection, authorities found a plastic bottle containing volcanic sand with radiation levels 15 times higher than the normal limit. Further analysis confirmed the presence of thorium-232, a naturally occurring radioactive element.

The woman stated that she had collected small pieces of solidified volcanic lava from a beach in the Indian state of Kerala and was carrying them as a souvenir. Customs officers confiscated the sand and transferred it to a designated isolation facility to prevent contamination risks.

This is not the first case of radioactive volcanic material being carried by passengers from India. A previous incident occurred at Vnukovo Airport, where a Russian traveler was stopped while transporting volcanic sand intended for cosmetic production.