Patna, Jan 20 (IANS): Nine persons, including two Nepalese nationals, were arrested in Patna on Friday for smuggling highly radioactive "uranium metal", police said.

A team of Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) learnt about a uranium consignment that reached the city's Patrakar Nagar police station area, a team was set up, and carried out a raid, seizing the metal and arresting nine. Apart from two Nepalese nationals, the 7 others belong to Patna and Purnea districts.

According to an ATS Patna official, who requested anonymity, the 1.8 kg of highly radioactive metal was in two black bags with each having 900 gram weight. The manufacturing and expiry dates of June 3, 2017 and October 28, 2024, respectively mentioned on each of the bags, which also had "metal from the US" written on them.

The ATS sleuths learnt that some persons are trying to sell uranium metal in the old bypass locality under Patrakar Nagar police station and raided the place of the accused who were waiting for the arrival of the customers.

The officials have sent the seized items to a forensic lab to ascertain the actual nature of the substance.