In Canada’s largest-ever theft, six males of Indian descent were detained; here is how $22.5 million was taken from Toronto’s major airport

Six people have been detained in relation to the most heinous gold crime in Canadian history, a bold multimillion-dollar heist that occurred at Toronto’s major airport last year, including at least two males of Indian descent.

Peel Regional Police (PRP) announced that three additional people are the subject of warrants filed by Canadian authorities in this investigation.

Using fictitious documentation, authorities claim that on April 17, 2023, an air cargo container containing foreign money and gold bars valued at over 22 million Canadian dollars was taken from a secure storage facility. The money and gold had just arrived from Zurich, Switzerland, on an Air Canada aircraft.

Police claim that at least two former workers of Air Canada assisted in the bold heist. An arrest warrant has been issued for the other, and one is now in jail.

Along with Ammad Chaudhary, 43, Ali Raza, 37, and Prasath Paramalingam, 35, three people of Indian descent were taken into custody on Wednesday: Parmpal Sidhu, 54, and Amit Jalota, 40, all from Ontario.

Investigators have spoken with Durante King-Mclean, a 25-year-old Brampton resident who is being held in the United States on charges relating to weapons trafficking.

Following a thorough investigation into the incident that was reported last year, the arrests were made public.

Sidhu was employed for Air Canada at the time of the crime.

Additionally, according to the article, the police have issued nationwide warrants for the arrests of Simran Preet Panesar, 31, of Brampton, who was also employed by Air Canada at the time of the crime, Archit Grover, 36, of Brampton, and Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, of Mississauga.

Sidhu and Panesar’s employment with the national flag airline Air Canada was verified by spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick.

“One left the company prior to the arrests announced today and the second has been suspended,” he said. “As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further.”

The bold robbery from an Air Canada cargo facility was dubbed the greatest gold heist in Canadian history by lead investigator Det.-Sgt. Mike Mavity. According to him, two airline employees had a key role in making it happen, as reported by CBC News.

“They needed people inside Air Canada to facilitate this theft,” Mavity said.

“On April 17, 2023, at 3:56 p.m., a plane carrying 6,600 bars of 99.99% pure gold, weighing 400 kilogrammes, touched down at Pearson International Airport from Zurich, Switzerland. The cargo was valued at USD 20 million and CAD 2.5 million in foreign currency. It was offloaded and moved to a different area on the airport property shortly after it landed, according to a statement from Peel police.

Peel Regional Police received a notification about the missing goods on April 18.

“Peel Regional Police immediately started the investigation, which has crossed borders, and we have been working collaboratively with the Philadelphia Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF),” added the statement.

The investigation by the ATF and Peel Regional Police has advanced significantly. One person has been taken into custody by the ATF in the US after he was found in possession of 65 illegal guns, two of which were converted to be completely automatic. Out of the 65 handguns, five are referred to as “ghost guns” since they were never serialized and are consequently impossible to track down.

“Peel Regional Police (PRP) investigators also seized one kilogramme of gold worth approximately $89,000.00, believed to be from the theft, smelting equipment, and approximately $4,34,000 Canadian currency,” stated a statement.

PRP has located nine people and charged them, or it has issued warrants for their arrest on more than 19 counts.

The whole investigation team was aware of the increased attention and significance this occurrence had in our neighborhood. In order to address and guarantee that arrests are made in this intricate and multifaceted investigation that transcended international boundaries, we promptly deployed the required resources.

I applaud the extraordinary efforts made by our community, the ATF, our detectives, and other law enforcement agencies in locating and apprehending the perpetrators of this egregious act. Chief of Peel Regional Police, Nishan Duraiappah.

“Pelican Regional Police continues to prioritize this inquiry. The barriers between jurisdictions won’t prevent us from bringing charges and making an arrest against the guilty. To apprehend those at fault and bring them accountable, we are working closely with both domestic and foreign law enforcement partners,” Duraiappah said.