Ottawa, Canada:
At least two men of Indian descent are among six people arrested in connection with a brazen multimillion-dollar gold heist at Toronto's main airport last year, the largest gold heist in Canada's history.
Canadian authorities have also issued arrest warrants for three more people in the case, Peel Regional Police (PRP) said.
On April 17, 2023, an air cargo container containing more than 22 million Canadian dollars worth of gold bars and foreign currency was stolen from a secure storage facility using fake paper, police say. The gold and currency had just arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland.
At least two former Air Canada employees are believed to have assisted in the daring theft, police say. One is now in custody and an arrest warrant has been issued for the other.
Two persons of Indian origin – Parmpal Sidhu, 54, and Amit Jalota, 40, both from Ontario, were arrested on Wednesday, along with Ammad Chaudhary, 43, Ali Raza, 37, and Prasath Paramalingam, 35.
Durante King-Mclean, a 25-year-old man from Brampton, is currently in custody in the United States on firearms trafficking charges, and investigators have been in contact with him and his legal counsel.
The arrests were announced after a lengthy investigation into the crime reported last year.
Parmpal Sidhu was working with Air Canada at the time of the crime.
In addition, police have issued arrest warrants across Canada for Simran Preet Panesar, 31, of Brampton, who was also an Air Canada employee at the time of the theft; Archit Grover, 36, of Brampton and Arsalan Chaudhary, a 42-year-old man from Mississauga, the report said.
Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick confirmed Parmpal Sidhu and Simran Panesar's employment with the national carrier.
“One person left the company before 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.” Lead Investigator Det.-Sgt. Mike Mavity called the daring theft from an Air Canada cargo facility the largest gold heist in Canadian history. He said two men who worked for the airline were instrumental in bringing the case together, CBC News reported.
“They needed people inside Air Canada to facilitate this theft,” Mavity said.
“On April 17, 2023 at 3:56 p.m., a flight landed at Pearson International Airport from Zurich, Switzerland, carrying a cargo containing 6,600 bars of 0.9999% pure gold, weighing 400 kilograms, valued at over $20 million and CAD 2.5 million in foreign currency was offloaded shortly after landing and transported to a separate location on the airport grounds,” Peel Police said in a statement.
On April 18, the cargo was reported missing to Peel Regional Police.
“Peel Regional Police immediately began the investigation, which has gone beyond limits, and we have been working with the Philadelphia Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF),” the statement said.
Peel Regional Police and ATF have made significant progress in the investigation. ATF arrested one person in the United States in possession of 65 illegal firearms, two of which had been modified to be fully automatic weapons. Five of the 65 guns are known as “ghost guns,” meaning they have no serial numbers and are therefore untraceable.
“Peel Regional Police (PRP) detectives also seized one kilogram of gold valued at approximately $89,000.00 believed to be from the theft, smelting equipment and approximately $434,000 of Canadian currency,” the statement said.
PRP has identified and charged or issued arrest warrants for nine individuals with more than 19 charges.
“Our investigators and the entire agency recognized the increased interest and impact this incident had in our community. We immediately deployed the necessary resources to address and ensure arrests in this complex and multi-faceted investigation that crossed international borders. I commend the incredible work done by our investigators, the ATF, other law enforcement partners and our community for working together to identify and arrest those responsible for this brazen crime. Nishan Duraiappah, chief of Peel Regional Police.
“This investigation remains a priority for Peel Regional Police. Crossing borders will not hinder our ability to charge and arrest those responsible. We are working closely with national and international law enforcement partners to arrest and hold those responsible accountable,” Duraiappah said. , said.
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