New Delhi: In one of the biggest seizures, gold and foreign currencies worth Rs 5.5 crore were seized at the Delhi airport in a single day. "Indira Gandhi International Airport customs intelligence and preventive have been maintaining a heightened alert posture to curb smuggling. In last 24 hours contraband worth over 5.5 crore was seized," said Manish Kumar, commissioner of customs department at the airport.

The department said a Japanese man was intercepted after his arrival from Hong Kong on Monday. A detailed personal and baggage search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of four pieces of gold of cylindrical shape and eight gold bars, collectively weighing 7 kg, it said in a statement issued Tuesday. The market value of the gold, that has been seized, is assessed to be Rs 2.22 crore, the statement said, adding that the Japanese man was arrested. It is after a long time that a Japanese man has been arrested for gold smuggling.