'Nuclear isotopes' discovered during house raid in Australia

Early Thursday morning, a house was ransacked in a suburb of Arncliffe. Credit: David Grey/AFP

The 'nuclear isotopes' were reportedly discovered after the Australian Border Police raided a house in southern Sydney.

A house in the suburb of Arncliffe was the target of an early morning raid in Thursday and remains cordoned off, with toxic, nuclear or biological hazard warning tape inside.

A small apartment building was cut off from the road with a red and yellow tape that read: «Polluted area — do not enter — hot zone.»

Local commercial TV channel Channel 10 reported that mercury and uranium isotopes were found inside. , and The Daily Telegraph reported that officers had detected nuclear isotopes.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has not confirmed media reports of the presence of radioactive material on or near the site.

Border Patrol agents did not confirm media reports of radioactive material. Photo: David Grey/AFP

«ABF can confirm that it is conducting an operation today in Arncliffe, New South Wales, with the support of… emergency services,» a Border Troops spokesman said in a statement.

«Accepted all appropriate security measures.

“People in the vicinity of the scene are strongly advised to follow all instructions from the emergency services. ”

Sam Abraham, 19, was trying to get home when he came across a closed road.

“It’s scary to find uranium in your neighbor’s house, you go outside and the police are there,” he told AFP.< /p> Emergency services brief residents on how to stay safe Photo: DAVID GRAY/AFP

Nemr Khamis, 60, told AFP: “In the morning I heard the sound of trucks and all that, I looked out the window and saw an ambulance and a fire brigade.

“I took a shower, and when I came back, I had a child with me, and the police ordered me to go inside ”.

Mr Khamis called relatives who told him that “there is some uranium in the street next to the unit”, he said.

< p>Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (Arpansa) also declined to confirm the presence of nuclear material.

Arpansa will continue to support the relevant state and federal agencies in the ongoing management and resolution of the situation. ”, — said the representative.