DHAKA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Customs officials at Bangladesh's main airport in Dhaka seized gold bars weighing about 12 kg from two Japanese nationals who arrived here from Malaysia, a senior official said on Thursday.

Payel Pasha, deputy director of Bangladeshi Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, told Xinhua that acting on a tip-off, they detained the Japanese nationals with 30 gold bars worth 60 million taka (about 714,285 U.S. dollars) early on Thursday.

The Japanese men were arrested when crossing green channel at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The gold bars were found hidden in their pant pockets, he said.

According to the official, the Japanese nationals were handed over to local police.

Sources said organized gangs of local smugglers having link with their foreign sidekicks have been increasingly using Bangladesh as a transit for the illegal transportation of gold, foreign currencies, contraband drug and medicines.