Toronto Pearson gold heist: Ontario man arrested at airport after arriving from India

An Ontario man is facing charges in connection with the largest gold heist in Canadian history at Toronto Pearson airport last year, Peel Regional Police say.

Archit Grover, a 36-year-old man from Brampton, was arrested at the airport on Monday after arriving on a flight from India, the force said in a news release Thursday.

His arrest comes after Peel police, along with the Philadelphia Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, announced five arrests in the case on April 17.

Thursday’s arrest marks the sixth in the case. Two other people remain at large. Grover has been charged with theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. He is also being indicted in the United States for firearm-related charges, police added.

“Investigators urge these individuals to seek legal counsel and turn themselves into the police,” Peel police said Thursday.

The 2023 heist, which made international headlines at the time, involved 6,600 gold bars valued at over $20 million stolen from Pearson in April 2023. Cash valued at $2.5 million was also taken.

Last month, thirty-seven search warrants were issued along with 70 production orders. Peel police said it seized $430,000 in Canadian currency during the search warrants.

Also seized were six crudely made gold bracelets resembling bangles that were sent off for expert examination. They were considered to be pure gold and the total value was over $89,000. In addition, officers seized smelting pots, casts and molds.

Nine people have been identified in connection with the case, and have been arrested, charged or have Canada-wide warrants issued for them.

2:49 Pearson gold heist: arrests made but very little gold recovered

Those charged include Parmpal Sidhu, a 54-year-old Air Canada employee and Ali Raza, a 37-year-old man from Toronto, who is a jewelry store owner, Mavity said. Others include Amit Jalota, a 40-year-old man from Oakville, Ammad Chaudhary, a 43-year-old man from Georgetown and Prasath Paramalingam, a 35-year-old man from Brampton.

Canada-wide arrest warrants have also been issued for Simran Preet Panesar, a 31-year-old man from Brampton who was a former Air Canada employee who was employed there at the time of the theft, Mavity said. They are also looking for Arsalan Chaudhary, a 42-year-old man from Mississauga.

The driver who allegedly stole the cargo from Pearson, identified by police as Durante King-Mclean from Brampton, was stopped in a rental vehicle in September 2023 by Pennsylvania police who found dozens of illegal firearms inside. He tried to get away from police on foot, but was arrested. King-Mclean is currently in custody in the U.S. on firearms trafficking-related charges.

— with files from Gabby Rodrigues