A year later, six people have been arrested, and three additional arrest warrants were issued for suspects in a gold heist at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport’s cargo facility in April 2023, according to AFP.
Toronto airport gold heist: The sensational story deserves a Netflix series
Officials dubbed it “the greatest gold heist in Canadian history,” but only a small portion of the stolen 6,600 gold bars worth Can$20 million ($15 million) had been recovered, according to the report. Furthermore, Can$ 2.5 million in foreign currency was stolen during the same heist.
“This story is a sensational one and one which, probably, we jokingly say, belongs in a Netflix series,” Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah told Bloomberg.
According to officials, the suspects include two former Air Canada airport employees and a jewelry store owner, making this an “inside job”.
Police have identified the suspects as Toronto men aged 25 to 54. According to a US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms official, the getaway driver is also facing a case in the United States for possessing 65 illegal firearms.
Peel Police have confiscated Can$430,000, believed to have come from the sale of some of the gold, as well as six poorly produced gold bracelets worth an estimated Can$89,000. The search for the remaining gold is still ongoing.
What exactly happened during Canada’s biggest-ever gold heist?
A Swiss bank hired Brink’s Co. to transport the valuables from Zurich, Switzerland, to Toronto. Brink’s then arranged for Air Canada to fly the valuables into the country.
The 400 kilograms of gold was transported and safely unloaded at Toronto Airport’s cargo holding facility.
According to a Bloomberg, Detective Sergeant Mike Mavity stated that around 6.30 p.m., a man driving a truck appeared at the loading dock with a fake air waybill to claim it. Airway bills are needed to trace overseas shipments, and this one was a duplicate of a seafood shipment from the previous day.
Three hours later, when Brink’s employees arrived to collect the goods, they were informed that it was missing.
The former Air Canada employee, Parmpal Sidhu (54) was arrested and charged with theft of more than C$5,000 ($3,620) and conspiracy to commit an indictable offense.
Simran Preet Panesar (31), another ex-employee, is facing the same charges but has yet to be arrested.
Amit Jalota (40), Ammad Chaudhary (43), Ali Raza (37), Prasath Paramalinga (35), Archit Grover (36), Arsalan Chaudhary (42), and getaway driver Durante King-Mclean (25) have also been identified.
Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesperson for Air Canada, expressed gratitude for the efforts of the police.
He said, “Air Canada commends the police for their thorough investigation into the recent incident at Toronto Pearson Airport. While the matter is now before the courts, we can confirm that two individuals identified by law enforcement were employed in our cargo division at the time. One individual left the company before today’s arrests, and the other has been suspended.”
A legal battle between Brink’s Co & Air Canada
Brink’s Co. and Air Canada have been involved in a legal dispute since October 2023. The former has taken legal action against the nation’s major airline, accusing it of “negligence and carelessness.” Air Canada, in reaction, has denied the allegations.
According to an AP story, in a statement of defense dated November 8, Air Canada disputed all charges made by Brink’s in their lawsuit, claiming that it fulfilled its contractual commitments and disputing any notion of unlawful activity.
Furthermore, Air Canada claimed that Brink’s failed to note the value of the shipment on the waybill. It also cited the Montreal Convention, a multilateral treaty, which would limit its liability if Brink’s did incur losses.
Brink’s filed lawsuits in federal court seeking millions of dollars in damages for breach of contract, according to the AP article. The business claims that an “unidentified individual” entered Air Canada’s cargo facility and produced a “fraudulent” waybill immediately after an Air Canada flight from Zurich arrived at Pearson Airport. According to Brink’s statement, the warehouse workers then delivered 400 kilograms of gold in 24 bars and roughly $2 million in cash to the perpetrator, who then fled with the shipment.