Additional suspect in largest gold heist in Canadian history arrested at Pearson Airport

Peel Regional Police say they’ve now identified, charged or issued warrants for nine people suspected of planning and pulling off the largest gold heist in Canada’s history, with the latest arrest taking place Monday at Pearson International Airport.

That’s where authorities slapped the cuffs on Archit Grover, 36, of Brampton, and charged him with theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Police say Grover had arrived on a flight from India when he was arrested.

He was allegedly involved in what investigators described as the Hollywood-worthy heist of 6,600 bars of nearly pure gold valued at over $20 million, as well as the theft of $2.5 million worth in foreign currency.

Investigators say on April 17, 2023, just before 4 p.m. a flight from Zurich containing the gold and money landed at Pearson. Shortly after landing the cargo was hauled to a separate location on Airport property.

The next day it was reported missing.

Project 24K — short for 24 karats of gold — was launched, and over a year later the bulk of the suspects, including Air Canada employee Parmpal Sidhu, were arrested and hit with numerous charges.

“This story is a sensational one and one which probably, we jokingly say, belongs in a Netflix series,” Peel police chief Nishan Duraiappah said when he announced the initial arrest in April 2024.

Two suspects remain on the loose and are wanted on Canada-wide warrants. They are Simran Preet Panesar, 31, of Brampton and Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, of no fixed address.

Police say Panesar was also employed by Air Canada at the time of theft.

With files from Lucas Casaletto