STCU News and Announcements
Radiological Crime Scene Management Exercise in Azerbaijan
385/49410 Dec 2022
The large amount of nuclear and other radioactive materials that are currently out of regulatory control in many countries is of primary concern for nuclear safety around the world. In addition to the safety issues caused by this orphaned material, it is also understood that criminal groups and terrorists seek to obtain such materials for malicious purposes such as dirty bombs, etc.. Given thes risks, significant efforts have been made to control these materials and ensure their security across the world. In order to stop the illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials, many departments and ministries of governments must be involved and coordinate their response to the such incidents. These investigations involve many different tasks, such as evidence collection and preservation, as well as formulation of a criminal investigation, and such tasks often need to occur simultaneously to ensure an effective response.
With these challenges in mind, the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU), jointly with the "National Nuclear Research Center" NNRC of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, hosted the Radiological Crime Scene Management (RCSM) exercise on combating illicit trafficking of nuclear materials in Azerbaijan. The training was held December 5-7, 2022 under the umbrella of an STCU Targeted Initiative on Nuclear Forensics funded jointly by the European Union and the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (U.S. DOE/NNSA). The objective of the training was to bring together specialists in nuclear and radiological measurement, along with their law enforcement colleagues and agencies in order to better understand and streamline investigations of nuclear and radiological crime scenes in Azerbaijan. The training will make a significant contribution to increasing the responsiveness of nuclear forensic stakeholders across the country in investigating nuclear and radiological crimes, as well as strengthening regional cooperation. On the second day of the training, with the joint participation of experts from international and national organizations, a practical portion of the scenario was conducted, addressing the detection of nuclear and radioactive materials at one of the checkpoints equipped with a radiation portal monitor at Baku International Sea Trade Port. The nuclear forensic analysis of these materials was carried out in the laboratories of NNRC. The training covered the entire timeline from initial nuclear and radioactive material detection, response, and nuclear forensic investigation.
The training was attended by the representatives of:
• Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• The Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• The Forensic Sciences Centre of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• State security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• The State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• The State Agency for Regulation of Nuclear and Radiological Activity of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• The Chief officer of the State Border Service
• "Isotope" Special enterprise of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• The Civil Defense Forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations
• The Azerbaijan Republican Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology
• Baku International Sea Trade Port Administration
Each agency reported on its operational/technical activities performed in the exercise framework. As a result , it appears that related operational/ technical activities function well within each agency, and the individual agency Standard Operating Procedures appear complete. However, the exercise revealed that an overarching document, such as an approved national response plan, might provide a more substantial legal basis for operations.
Nuclear forensics experts from the EU, USA, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine participated in the event as observers.
Following the exercise, on December 8-9, 2022, the STCU, as well as NF experts from the GUAM countries, USA, and the EU met to discuss the ongoing Targeted Initiative on Nuclear Forensics currently aimed to increase emphasis on the regional inter-ministerial and multi-agency aspects involved in a nuclear forensic investigation.
STCU staff will continue working with GUAM participants of the Nuclear Forensics TI to develop additional training programs to meet the expectations and recommendations of the nuclear forensics program experts.
