A cache seized by Turkish police in capital Ankara, reported by broadcaster NTV to be the radioactive Californium element, was in fact a polystyrene sulfonate, a kind of polymer used for medical and technical purposes. Californium, a non-natural element, is being used in nuclear warheads and nuclear energy plants, with a worth of approximately $4 million per gram.
Turkish police discover 1.4 kilograms (3.1 lb) of radioactive-labelled material in a car in Ankara. Initially claimed to be californium by the smugglers, the material is later identified as a type of polystyrene sulfonate.