Ukrainian woman denied entry to Poland over ‘radioactive currency’: what happened at the border
18 April 05:44
At the Medyka border crossing, Polish border guards denied entry to a 54-year-old Ukrainian citizen after detecting a radioactive banknote among her cash. The incident occurred during a security check of passengers traveling to Poland. That is when the radiation detector went off, registering a significant excess of radiation levels. This was reported by RMF24.pl, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
According to the Polish Border Guard, the woman was carrying $9,900, and one of the $100 bills turned out to be radioactive. Its radiation exceeded natural levels by more than 1,900 times.
What happened at the Polish-Ukrainian border
The incident occurred on April 15 at the Medyka border crossing. During a check of passengers entering Poland, the radiation detector alarm went off.
After a further inspection, it turned out that the source of the radiation was one of the $100 bills carried by a Ukrainian citizen. In total, she had $9,900 in cash on her person.
How dangerous was the bill?
According to border guards, the $100 bill exceeded natural radiation levels by more than 1,900 times.
Experts determined that the radiation was linked to an isotope used in medicine. The bill itself was seized and placed in a special container. The incident was also reported to the Polish National Atomic Energy Agency.
Why Ukrainians were denied entry into Poland
According to the woman, she was carrying the money to buy a car. However, for security reasons, Polish authorities decided not to let her cross the border.
As a result, the Ukrainian citizen was denied entry and sent back to Ukraine along with the cash.
Why this case is important
The incident with the radioactive banknote shows that even things that seem ordinary at first glance can pose a potential danger and are subject to thorough inspection at the border.
Such cases attract particular attention because they involve not only customs or border procedures but also issues of public safety.
Have there been similar cases before?
The Polish Border Guard noted that this is not the first such incident.
In particular, in December 2025, radioactive currency was also discovered on a Polish citizen traveling from Ukraine. This indicates that while such cases are rare, they do occur.
