Canada’s Peel Regional Police said that they arrested two men in connection with what was described as the largest gold heist in Canadian history.
On Monday, a 43-year-old Arsalan Chaudhary was arrested at Toronto International Airport as he flew in from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as part of Project 24K, an investigation into the theft of golf bars worth over $20 million.
Chaudhary had no fixed address and faces charges of theft over $5000, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime, and conspiracy to commit the offence. He is held for a bail hearing and appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
Peel Regional Police Insp. Mike Mavity told CBC News that Chaudhary arranged to turn himself in through his lawyer, and he didn't know specifically why he chose to surrender.
Investigators say that about 10 people were charged and are the subject of warrants in relation to the case, which took place on April 17, 2023. Police said that a cargo shipment arriving at Pearson from Zurich, Switzerland, went missing and that the shipment contained 400 kilograms of .9999 pure gold. There were a total of 6,600 bars valued at more than $20 million along with $2.5 foreign currency.
Two groups were involved in the case, one consisting of Air Canada employees who police allege helped facilitate the theft and a group of outsiders to which Chaudhary belonged.
“Once the gold was removed from Air Canada cargo, he helped, we believe, facilitate the sale and get it ultimately out of Canada," Mavity said.
Two suspects remain absconding: Preet Panesar and Prasath Paramalingam.
Panesar, a 33-year-old former Air Canada employee from Brampton, is wanted on Canada-wide warrants for theft over $5,000 and conspiracy. He is believed to be in India, and an extradition request has been submitted. Paramalingam, a 36-year-old man from Brampton, failed to appear in court in August 2024, and a bench warrant has been issued.
Those arrested include 54-year-old Parmpal Sidhu, a former Air Canada employee, 40-year-old Amit Jalota, Ali Raza, a 37-year-old from Toronto and 43-year-old Ammad Chaudhary.
Durante King-Mclean, a 27-year-old from Brampton, had pleaded guilty to firearms-trafficking-related charges in the United States and is expected to be sentenced later this year in relation to the case.
