Customs officers seize item with excessive radioactivity carried by traveler

Customs officers in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, recently seized a highly radioactive item carried by a traveler who believed it could improve sleep and bring blessings, according to China's General Administration of Customs.

During inspection of incoming travelers, customs officers at Kunming Changshui International Airport detected a passenger triggering a nuclear radiation alarm. The officers quickly identified the source and secured the area.

The handheld radioactive isotope detector analysis revealed that the passenger was carrying a metal tower-shaped object, with radiation levels 20 times higher than the normal background value.

The item contained the radionuclides containing thorium-232 and barium-133, radionuclides classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The passenger said that when purchasing the "energy tower," the seller claimed it had benefits such as improving sleep and bringing blessings, leading the passenger to carry it regularly. Customs have since arranged for the item's return in accordance with regulations.

In accordance with related provisions, radioactive waste and items contaminated by radiation imported into the country must be returned or disposed of in accordance with Chinese law.