Officials in Bangladesh on Friday seized 27 kilograms worth of gold from luggage belonging to a North Korean diplomat.

Authorities at Bangladesh's Hazrat Shahjalal International airport said the gold had been from a bag carried by Son Young Nam, the First Secretary of the North Korean Embassy in Dhaka. Officials say the gold was in the form of 170 bars and ornaments and is estimated to be worth around one-point-five billion won in total.

Authorities had been tipped off that Son was suspected to be smuggling gold and carrying an amount exceeding the duty-free customs allowance of 200 grams.

Son had refused to let authorities scan his bag at first and was later released after ten hours of questioning at the airport through the Vienna Convention, which allows Son diplomatic immunity.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi officials are hoping to press criminal charges against Son.