Russians try to sell 'meteorite fragments'

• Tweet

MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Police in Russia said Tuesday that they confiscated material from a man who was attempting to sell it as a meteorite fragment.

Police said the 28-year-old man was trying to sell about 2 ounces of an unknown substance on the Internet.

RIA Novosti said authorities sent the substance for testing to determine what it is and if it could pose health risks.

Scientists have recovered fragments of the meteorite that hit central Russia Friday in a lake in the region, RIA Novosti said.

Meanwhile, people are trying to sell substances online for $330 to $16,600, RIA Novosti reported. Police cautioned people not to buy the fragments, as their composition is unknown and they are being sold without certification.

A large meteorite exploded over Chelyabinsk Feb. 15 in Russia before large sections of it crashed into a lake. There were about 1,000 injuries associated with the incident, which caused windows to shatter due to the force of the explosion.