Vial Labeled Polonium 210 Found During Easter Egg Hunt in Germany

In the German town of Waigingen an der Enz, two men discovered a vial labeled ‘Polonium 210’ while searching for Easter eggs.

The discovery was made in a private garden on the outskirts of the town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, reports SPIEGEL.

The incident occurred during Easter celebrations and triggered an operation involving over 130 emergency responders. Radiation protection units and hazardous materials specialists arrived at the scene.

The local fire department considers the discovery serious due to the professional labeling and the container’s heavy weight. They noted that the container’s appearance looks authentic.

Preliminary measurements at the site of the discovery did not detect an increase in background radiation. This may indicate the absence of the claimed radioactive element in the vial.

Representatives of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety seized the suspicious object for laboratory analysis of its contents. The Ludwigsburg police have launched an investigation to determine the origin of the container.

Polonium-210 is a dangerous substance that gained worldwide notoriety following the poisoning of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko in London.