Georgia has arrested two individuals who attempted to purchase $3 million worth of uranium and a stockpile of a radioactive isotope used in nuclear weapons testing programs.

Two foreign nationals from unspecified countries were arrested in the city of Kutaisi, the State Security Service said in a statement on Thursday, The Caspian Post reports, citing foreign media.

"They were planning to illegally purchase nuclear material uranium, and radioactive substance Cesium-137 for $3 million and illegally transport it to the territory of another country," it said.

It said other foreigners had been arriving in Georgia in recent weeks with the aim of purchasing and transporting the nuclear and radioactive materials, without elaborating further.

Illicit Trade in Nuclear Materials

The statement did not specify the quantity of materials the individuals were attempting to procure. There were no details on the substances' origin or potential destination.

Cesium-137 is a radioactive isotope that is primarily present in the aftermath of nuclear weapons testing and nuclear power plant accidents, such as the Chernobyl disaster in the former Soviet Union in 1986.

The security of nuclear materials was one of the biggest concerns following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, of which Georgia was a part. There have been several serious incidents involving the illicit trade in nuclear materials in Georgia over recent decades.

Most recently, three Chinese citizens were arrested in the capital Tbilisi for attempting to purchase two kilogrammes of uranium, a nuclear material.