Seven South Korean women attempted to smuggle gold into Japan late last month by concealing it in their rectums, officials from Aichi Prefecture's Chubu Airport said Tuesday.
In most gold smuggling cases uncovered at the air hub, offenders concealed the gold on their person, such as in their underwear, officials said.
According to the officials, the seven women in their 50s to 60s arrived from South Korea's Incheon Airport trying to pass themselves off as tourists participating in a tour before being caught by metal detectors.
The gold had been processed into small nuggets and bagged in transparent pouches concealed in their rectums, according to the officials.
The women were apparently planning to retrieve the gold in rest rooms after clearing immigration and customs, the officials said.
As a growing number of gold smuggling cases have been discovered recently, the government is considering applying stricter penalties on offenders.
The Nagoya customs office plans to fine the women, who will have the gold returned to them after they pay the fines, according to officials.