In a daring heist that sounds like it was ripped straight from a Hollywood script, over 20 million Canadian dollars worth of gold bars and millions in bank notes were stolen from Toronto’s international airport last year. However, justice has finally caught up with the perpetrators as Canadian authorities announced the arrest of nine individuals, including an Air Canada employee, in connection with the audacious theft.
The stolen loot, which included 6,600 gold bars and 2.5 million dollars in bank notes, mysteriously vanished from a warehouse at Toronto Pearson Airport in April 2023. Arrest warrants have also been issued for three other individuals, including a manager at the airline.
“This story is a sensational one,” remarked Nishan Duraiappah, chief of the Peel Regional Police, at a news conference where he revealed the arrests. “One we jokingly say belongs in a Netflix series.”
The stolen gold was reportedly used to purchase firearms that were intended for Canada. The man who drove the truck used in the heist was apprehended in Pennsylvania after being found with a cache of 65 guns, including fully automatic rifles. He has been charged with conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms into Canada.
The investigation into the firearms smuggling led authorities to uncover the broader theft plot. Eric DeGree, a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the United States, stated that the agency contacted Peel police after finding the suspect’s name in a police database.
The elaborate heist involved the use of a duplicate waybill, printed on an Air Canada printer, for a shipment of seafood to gain access to the warehouse where the gold bars and bank notes were stored. The stolen loot was then loaded into a truck and disappeared from sight in a rural area west of the city.
Despite the thieves’ efforts to cover their tracks, the police managed to recover some of the stolen gold, which had been melted down. Among those arrested was the owner of a jewelry shop in Toronto, where six bracelets made from the stolen gold were found.
“This is a story about reverse alchemy,” remarked Nando Iannicca, the chairman of the regional government. “This is about how gold becomes guns.”
The brazen theft and subsequent arrests have captivated the public, leaving many to wonder about the true motives behind such a daring and elaborate crime.
