A 48-year-old wheelchair-bound man has been arrested at an airport in Bangladesh while trying to smuggle 25 kg gold into the country, custom officials said, calling it the biggest haul of the year.

Jamil Akter, a native of Nilphamari, flew to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here from Singapore yesterday.

He had kept 250 gold bars worth Rs. 12.5 crore taka in a vest kept between his legs, Dhaka Tribune reported.

“Acting on a tip-off, our team confronted the man when he was crossing the green channel on a wheelchair, pretending to be unwell,” Dhaka Customs House Preventive Team Assistant Commissioner Ahsanul Kabir was quoted by the report.

“He denied having any gold initially, but admitted to it later, during interrogation. We found 250 gold bars in a vest kept between his legs. The man has a chips shop in Singapore.

He went in and out of the country 13 times in the last six months,” the customs official added.

Customs officials were preparing to hand over him to police after filing a criminal case.

Another team found 6 kg gold abandoned in a flight of US-Bangla Airlines.