Peel Regional Police confirmed that Chaudhary faces charges of theft over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime, and criminal conspiracy. Police officials described the arrest as a critical step in an ongoing international investigation targeting a network involved in high-value cargo thefts.
The Heist
On April 17, 2023, a flight from Zurich, Switzerland, landed at Toronto Pearson carrying 6,600 bars of pure gold and foreign currency worth around $2.5 million (₹21 crore). The gold, weighing roughly 400 kilograms, was scheduled for deposit at TD Bank in Toronto, while the cash was to go to Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange. Both were stored in the airport’s cargo facility.
Within three and a half hours of the flight landing, thieves exploited weak cargo security protocols. CCTV footage shows a man using a fake airway bill, entering the warehouse, and loading the gold onto a five-tonne truck between 7:27 pm and 7:30 pm. The truck departed before the genuine security courier arrived. Authorities say an insider at the airport helped manipulate documents to facilitate the theft.
Investigation and Accusations
Police investigations identified 33-year-old Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada employee, as a central figure. Panesar is accused of tampering with airline systems to redirect the cargo. Canadian authorities have issued an arrest warrant against him, and he is believed to be in India.
So far, ten individuals have been named in connection with the heist, including Brampton residents Archit Grover, Parampal Sidhu, Amit Jalota, Prasath Parmalingam, Ali Raza, Ammad Chaudhary, and Durante King-McLean, the latter currently in US custody for an unrelated arms trafficking case.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah emphasized the global scope of the investigation. “No matter where the accused are hiding, we will find them and bring them before the law,” he said, highlighting the department’s commitment to handling complex and international crimes.
The case underscores vulnerabilities in airport cargo security, raising questions about the oversight of high-value shipments and the role of insiders in facilitating large-scale thefts. Authorities continue to coordinate internationally to track down remaining suspects and recover stolen assets.
