A Sierra Leone man traveling from Sierra Leone to the U.S is
thought to have been stashing Iranian Uranium in his shoes, hit the jump for more detail!
Patrick Campbell a Sierra Leone native had been detained by police officials in Queens, NY after being tipped off by Miami police that the man had been stashing Iranian Uranium. He has been charged with “brokering a uranium deal intended for Iran”. If convicted he could face up to 20 years in jail and a $1 million dollar fine!
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations office conducted the initial investigation of the 33 year old suspect.
“According to the criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Florida, Campbell brokered the supply of goods he knew were destined for supply to Iran. The complaint alleges that Campbell travelled to the U.S. from Sierra Leone on Wednesday with a sample of uranium hidden in the soles of his shoes in his luggage”.
He also pretended to be apart of a company engaged in mining and selling uranium in Sierra Leone.
Uranium also known as yellow cake, when enriched, it can be used in the manufacture of nuclear fuel and weapons.
“Iran is suspected by the US and others of secretly seeking to acquire nuclear weapons despite protestations that its programme is for civilian energy use only”.
“Mr Campbell is accused of seeking to arrange the export of the yellowcake from Sierra Leone to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, packed in drums and disguised as the mineral chromite”.
