2 Indian-Origin Men Among 6 Arrested In Canada’s Biggest Gold, Cash Theft

Canada: Canadian Police has arrested two Indian-origin men along with four others in connection with the multimillion-dollar gold heist at Toronto’s main airport last year.

Parmpal Sidhu (54) and Amit Jalota (40), both from Ontario, were arrested on Wednesday along with Ammad Chaudhary, Ali Raza and Prasath Paramalingam, PTI reported.

Canadian authorities have also issued warrants for three others — Simran Preet Panesar and Archit Grover from Brampton, and Arsalan Chaudhary from Mississauga — in what is Canada’s biggest gold heist, informed Peel Regional Police (PRP).

The arrests followed a long probe into a crime that took place a year ago. An air cargo container carrying more than 22 million Canadian dollars’ worth of gold bars and foreign currency had just arrived on an Air Canada flight when it was stolen from a secure storage facility.

“On April 17, 2023, at 3.56 pm a flight landed at Pearson International Airport from Zurich, Switzerland, with a cargo containing 6,600 bars of .9999 per cent pure gold, weighing 400 kilogrammes, valued at over 20 million dollars and CAD 2.5 million worth in foreign currency. Shortly after landing, it was offloaded and transported to a separate location on airport property,” Peel police stated.

On April 18, the cargo was reported missing to Peel Regional Police, which immediately started an investigation working collaboratively with the Philadelphia Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

According to police, two former Air Canada employees had allegedly helped in the theft. One is already in custody and an arrest warrant has been issued for the other.

During the time of the crime, Indian-origin Parmpal — one of those arrested — was working with Air Canada.

Confirming Parmpal and another wanted person Simran’s employment with their airlines, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick informed, “One left the company prior to the arrests announced today and the second has been suspended.”