A senior Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) captain was arrested at Tribhuvan International Airport on Sunday night after he was found possessing undeclared $93,600. 

Captain Subarna Awale, who was set to fly a NAC aircraft to the UAE, was caught with undeclared dollar bills during a routine check. 

SSP Prem Chand said the money could be a payment for gold smuggled into Nepal. 

“We were tipped that pilots and cabin crew members are being used to smuggle gold and foreign currency. It turned out to be true,” said SSP Chand. 

Police, however, did not find any additional amount from other crew members after Awale was arrested.

Following the incident, captain Mahesh Man Dangol was assigned to fly the NAC flight RA 229 to the destination.

Awale was taken to Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala. He was sent to the Department of Revenue Investigation on Monday for further investigation.  

In his statement to police, Awale has claimed that the undeclared dollars were “meant for his daughter who lives abroad”.