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Buying Goods To Make Nuclear Weapons On eBay, Alibaba, and Other Platforms

Posted by timothy on from the we-gotcher-centrifuges-we-gotcher-krytrons dept.

Lasrick (2629253) writes The blossoming of online Internet-trading platforms has at least one downside: insufficient inspectors and product controls when it comes to goods relevant to nuclear proliferation. "On Alibaba (and other platforms), one can purchase many of the specialized items needed for the manufacture of nuclear weapons. A short list of items advertised for sale on the site include metals suitable for centrifuge manufacturing, gauges and pumps for centrifuge cascades for uranium enrichment, metallurgical casting equipment suitable for making nuclear weapon 'pits,' and high-speed cameras suitable for use in nuclear weapon diagnostic tests. A company on an Alibaba-owned Chinese Internet-trading platform even posted an ad for the sale of the rare metal gallium, which the seller trumpeted could be used to stabilize plutonium." Although many companies have strict compliance procedures in place to help avoid proliferation, many do not. There are several procedures these platforms can put into place to minimize risk, and both national (and international) regulators have a role to play, as well as shareholders.

4 of 260 comments (clear)

  1. Re:You know what else that stuff can be used for by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This. A billion times this.

    You have NO idea what I went through last time buying some chemicals for my PCB work. It seems that buying HCl, H2O2, Isopropyl alcohol and Acetone was kinda asking for it, but I honestly didn't know. Well, now I do. And I got a new door, too...

    And yes, those things are used exactly for what I said. HCl and H2O2 for etching, Acetone for cleaning the PCB of photoresist and the alcohol to dissolve the soldering flux.

    But now I know what else you can do with that crap. Thanks law enforcement, I wouldn't even have thought about that!

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. I got gallium from my black market contact... by Drachs · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Code name, Amazon Prime

    http://www.amazon.com/Gallium-99-99%25-Pure-20-Grams/dp/B00BSRAH5M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414958244&sr=8-1&keywords=gallium

    I used it to make a novelty heart, which melted in her hands.

  3. Re:If so damn many people are making nukes by ganjadude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    the fact that I need to show an ID to buy nyquil because some people try to use it to make meth (which you cant do with nyquil anyway) is a fucking joke. stop with the bullshit cold.

    --
    have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
  4. Re:If so damn many people are making nukes by ganjadude · · Score: 3, Interesting

    exactly. Does anyone remember kids chemistry kits growing up? I had some AWESOME kits, I could melt coins in acid that came in mine, yes, acid was sold in chem kits that were marketed to 8 up and this was in the late 80s early 90s. i can only imagine how awesome chem kits were in the 60s

    --
    have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same