Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) has detained two Japanese nationals with 30 gold bars, weighing about 12kg, from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

The detainees are- Takeo Mimura, passport No TR3577296, and Shuichi Sato, passport No TS2378822.

Confirming the matter, CIID Director General Shahidul Islam said the duo arrived at Dhaka airport in an Air Asia flight from Malaysia around 12:30am Thursday.

"Acting on a tip-off about gold smugglers, we were keeping an eye on the passengers of that flight. At one stage, we suspected the two Japanese citizens while they were crossing the green channel."

"Our officials stopped them and searched their bodies with metal detectors. We found 30 gold bars wrapped on their bodies. The approximate market price of the seized gold is about Tk 6 crore," the customs official said.

A case has been lodged with the concerned police station and the detainees have been handed over to police, Shahidul added.

Deshsangbad/Alo