Small amount of uranium seized at UK's Heathrow Airport in December: Police

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - After the UK Border Force late last year detected a package containing a small, harmless amount of uranium at London's Heathrow Airport, an investigation is continuing, British police confirmed in a statement Wednesday.

"I want to reassure the public that the amount of contaminated material was extremely small and has been assessed by experts as posing no threat to the public," said Commander Richard Smith of the Metropolitan Police about the Dec. 29 incident.

The Sun tabloid reported earlier that the uranium – a radioactive element that can be harmful to human life – was found on a passenger flight that arrived from Oman, which originated from Pakistan and was destined for an Iranian business with premises in the UK.

"Although our investigation remains ongoing, from our inquiries so far it does not appear to be linked to any direct threat. As the public would expect, however, we will continue to follow up on all available lines of inquiry to ensure this is definitely the case," he added.

Smith said the incident highlights “the excellent capability we and our partners have in place to monitor our ports and borders in order to keep the public safe from any potential threats to their safety and security that might be coming into the UK.”