Eat your heart out, George Clooney. These guys are the real deal.
An Air Canada worker and several accomplices have been implicated in what authorities are calling the largest gold theft in Canadian history. The incident took place last year at Toronto Pearson International Airport, involving a theft of 20 kilograms of gold bars valued at approximately $20 million.
The heist, which also saw the loss of $1.7 million in foreign currency, occurred when the stolen goods were removed from a cargo plane that had arrived from Zurich, Switzerland. Security footage captured the moment when members of the nine-person gang loaded the valuable cargo into a truck. Police, who held a press conference in front of the involved vehicle exactly one year after the theft, announced that six individuals had been arrested and a significant portion of the stolen items had been recovered.
Authorities described the heist as an “inside job,” indicating that the robbery could not have been executed without the help of Air Canada employees. Among those involved, three men remain at large, including a former employee of the airline. This individual, identified as 31-year-old Simran Preet Panesar, had resigned just before the charges were made public. His abrupt departure came after giving investigators a detailed tour of the facility where he worked.
The other key figure identified was 54-year-old Parmpal Sidhu, another Air Canada employee who has since been arrested. Both Panesar and Sidhu reportedly collaborated closely to orchestrate the theft, which required internal assistance from within the airline.
Also implicated in the case are 36-year-old Archit Grover and 42-year-old Arsalan Chaudhary, both Canadian citizens who are currently fugitives. Meanwhile, others involved and now arrested include Toronto jewelry store owner Ali Raza, Amit Jalota, Ammad Chaudhary, Prasath Paramalingam, and Durante King-Mclean, have been taken into custody. King-Mclean was arrested in the United States and remains in incarcirated on unrelated firearms trafficking charges.
Authorities continue to investigate and have released images of the suspects’ escape route, alongside photos of the seized items, including gold and a significant number of firearms linked to the case. As the legal proceedings continue, Air Canada and involved security agencies face scrutiny over lapses that allowed the theft from a warehouse adjacent to the airport.
