Three Chinese citizens have been arrested in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, for attempting to illegally purchase uranium.

TBILISI, Georgia — Three Chinese nationals were arrested in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, while trying to illegally purchase 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of uranium, the country’s State Security Service said Saturday.

The suspects planned to transport the nuclear material to China through Russia, the security service said in a statement, while releasing video footage of the arrest operation.

“Three Chinese citizens have been detained in Tbilisi while attempting to illegally purchase 2 kilograms of nuclear material: uranium,” the agency said, adding that members of the criminal group planned to pay $400,000 (344,000 euros) for the radioactive material.

According to authorities, a Chinese national who was already in Georgia and had violated Georgian visa rules, brought experts to Georgia to search for uranium throughout the country.

Other members of the criminal group coordinated the operation from China, according to the statement.

The perpetrators were identified and detained while “negotiating the details of the illegal transaction,” the security service said.

The agency did not specify when the arrests occurred or provide the identities of the suspects.