UK police investigate uranium package seized at Heathrow

LONDON: An investigation has been launched by British police after a package containing uranium was seized at London's Heathrow Airport.

The package, which was discovered by border agents during a routine search on December 29, had apparently originated in Pakistan and arrived on a flight from Oman.

According to reports, the uranium was found in a shipment of scrap metal, leading investigators to examine the possibility that it was the result of "poor handling" in Pakistan, according to the BBC.

However, police have reassured the public the amount of contaminated material was extremely small and posed no threat to the public. "I want to reassure [...] the amount of contaminated material has been assessed by experts as posing no threat to the public," police official Richard Smith said in a statement to the press.

"Although our investigation remains ongoing, from our inquiries so far, it does not appear to be linked to any direct threat."

The Foreign Office is yet to comment on the issue.