A soldier has reportedly been caught smuggling stolen gold out of Iraq.
The soldier, whom the Ministry of Defence has refused to identify, was found with a gold bar as he flew out of the country.
According to the News Of The World, the gold bar was worth £250,000, although officials have refused to confirm whether it was gold or, if it was, how much it was worth.
A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said tonight: "The matter was dealt with by the regimental sergeant major of the unit he was in.
"The alleged bar of gold is in safe custody and it is the property of the Iraqis and will be returned in due course. It is in this country."
The incident is believed to have happened last June during normal security checks, when the metal was discovered in the soldier's bag.
He is understood not to have been dismissed.
According to the newspaper, the soldier found the gold when he was among a group of British soldiers in Basra who found a bank vault blown open and dozens of ingots scattered on the floor.
PA News