The other accused, believed to be currently in India, has been identified as Simran Preet Panesar, a 33-year-old former Air Canada...

Canadian gold theft news: Canadian police have arrested a 43-year-old man in connection with the country’s largest-ever gold theft, News18 reported, citing Canadian authorities.

Another key suspect is believed to be in India and was earlier traced to a rented accommodation near Chandigarh. An arrest warrant has been issued against him, the report said.

The arrested accused has been identified as Arsalan Chaudhary, who was taken into custody at Toronto Pearson International Airport after arriving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

According to investigators, Chaudhary has no fixed address.

“He has been charged with theft over $5,000, possession of property obtained through crime, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence,” the report said.

The arrest is part of Project 24K, an ongoing investigation into the theft of gold worth over $20 million from Toronto’s main airport in April 2023.

Details of the theft 

According to authorities cited in the report, a flight from Zurich, Switzerland, landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on April 17, 2023, carrying a cargo consignment of around 400 kilograms of .9999-purity gold, approximately 6,600 bars, along with foreign currency valued at about $2.5 million.

After being offloaded, the cargo was kept in a holding area within the airport premises. However, it was reported missing a few hours later. The incident prompted a major multi-agency investigation across borders.

So far, the probe has led to charges and arrest warrants against 10 individuals linked to what is considered the largest gold heist in Canada’s history.

The other accused, believed to be currently in India, has been identified as Simran Preet Panesar, a 33-year-old former Air Canada employee from Brampton.

Investigators alleged that Panesar played a key role in identifying and diverting the cargo by exploiting airline systems. The report noted that he was earlier traced to a rented accommodation near Chandigarh, and a Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued against him.

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