A truck transporting highly radioactive metal entered Greece from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on Friday and made its way to Thessaloniki before being stopped, authorities said yesterday.

The truck entered Greece through the Evzonoi border checkpoint, despite checks showing the truck’s load as being radioactive.

It was not clear where the truck, which had FYROM number plates, was heading but authorities intercepted it in one of Thessaloniki’s industrial areas.

Officials from the Demokritos National Center of Scientific Research confirmed the dangerous levels of radioactivity and helped authorities safely drive the vehicle back to FYROM. They also took a sample of the metal for further tests.

The Finance Ministry, which oversees customs operations, has ordered an investigation to determine how the truck managed to get through the Evzonoi border checkpoint.