RADIOACTIVE isotypes were found at a property in Sydney after Australian Border Force officers detected “a range of illicit substances” being imported through air cargo, the ABF has confirmed.
Hazardous material operators from Fire and Rescue NSW were called to assist the ABF during an operation in Arncliffe on Thursday.
Authorities evacuated nearby properties and set up a 10-metre exclusion zone to inspect the site, which has now been declared safe.
The specialist crew found low-level radioactive isotypes at the site of the operation. It was found in “suitable and effective” containers, with no release of radiation.
In an update on Friday (18 August) the ABF confirmed it carried out warrant activity under the Customs Act after it found substances being imported through air cargo in Sydney.
It seized 52 vials of the “suspected hazardous substances”, which have been transferred to the appropriate facilities for testing.
AFP said a 23-year-old Australian man is “assisting with investigations”, which were ongoing as of Friday afternoon.
ABF deputy commissioner national operations Tim Fitzgerald said officers had done “an incredible job under testing circumstances” to ensure the vials were safety transferred for testing and evaluation.
“We could not have done this without the close support of our colleagues, both within the NSW emergency services and across other Commonwealth agencies,” he said.
“At the forefront of our minds at all times during this operation was the safety and wellbeing of community members and all officers involved.
“There remains no ongoing risk to community safety.”
The ABF said there was no evidence to suggest the incident posed any kind of national security risk.
