In what has been described by Peel Regional Police as the largest gold heist in Canadian history, six individuals have been arrested with warrants issued for three others. The nearly CA$20 million ($14.5 million) theft involved 400 kilograms of gold bars and approximately CA$2.5 million ($1.8 million) in stolen bank notes from Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Peel Regional Police, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the arrests and charges during a news conference in Ontario. Detective-Sergeant Mike Mavity of the Peel Regional Police explained that the stolen gold bars were "99.9% pure and contained individualized serial numbers," originating from a Zurich refinery.
The heist unfolded on April 17, 2023, when gold and currency were loaded onto an Air Canada flight in Europe, transported in an approved airline container. Upon arrival at Toronto Pearson International Airport at 3:56 p.m., the items were offloaded into an Air Canada facility. At 6:32 p.m., a male suspect using a fraudulent airway bill, drove a 5-ton truck into the air cargo area and subsequently made away with the gold and cash, loaded onto his truck by a forklift.
The crime was discovered in the early hours of the next day when officials realized that the airway bill was a duplicate, used the previous day for a legitimate seafood shipment. The theft was traced to an inside job involving a former Air Canada manager, now one of the suspects at large.
Those arrested in connection to the theft are:
Air Canada's Peter Fitzpatrick confirmed the involvement of two employees from the cargo division, one of whom has been suspended, while the other had left the company before the arrests.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah praised the collaborative efforts that led to the breakthrough in the case, while authorities continue their search for the remaining suspects and unrecovered gold.
Peel Regional Police, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the arrests and charges during a news conference in Ontario. Detective-Sergeant Mike Mavity of the Peel Regional Police explained that the stolen gold bars were "99.9% pure and contained individualized serial numbers," originating from a Zurich refinery.
The heist unfolded on April 17, 2023, when gold and currency were loaded onto an Air Canada flight in Europe, transported in an approved airline container. Upon arrival at Toronto Pearson International Airport at 3:56 p.m., the items were offloaded into an Air Canada facility. At 6:32 p.m., a male suspect using a fraudulent airway bill, drove a 5-ton truck into the air cargo area and subsequently made away with the gold and cash, loaded onto his truck by a forklift.
The crime was discovered in the early hours of the next day when officials realized that the airway bill was a duplicate, used the previous day for a legitimate seafood shipment. The theft was traced to an inside job involving a former Air Canada manager, now one of the suspects at large.
Those arrested in connection to the theft are:
- Air Canada employee Parmpal Sidhu, 54, of Ontario
- Jewelry store owner Ali Raza, 37, of Toronto
- Amit Jalota, 40, of Ontario
- Ammad Chaudhary, 43, of Ontario
- Prasath Paramalingam, 35, of Ontario
- Durante King-Mclean, 25, of Ontario, who is currently detained in the U.S. on unrelated charges.
- Former Air Canada manager Simran Preet Panesar, 31, of Ontario
- Archit Grover, 36, of Ontario
- Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, of Ontario
Air Canada's Peter Fitzpatrick confirmed the involvement of two employees from the cargo division, one of whom has been suspended, while the other had left the company before the arrests.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah praised the collaborative efforts that led to the breakthrough in the case, while authorities continue their search for the remaining suspects and unrecovered gold.
6 arrested, 3 on run in what police call biggest gold theft in Canada’s history
Nearly two dozen charges have been filed against 9 suspects in connection to the nearly $20 million Canadian dollar heist in April 2023.
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