Man held at Toronto airport in $20 million Pearson gold robbery probe
January 13, 2026: Peel Regional Police have arrested a 43-year-old man in connection with Project 24K, the high-profile investigation into the theft of gold worth over $20 million from Toronto Pearson International Airport—dubbed the largest gold robbery in Canadian history. The accused, Arsalan Chaudhary, was arrested at Pearson Airport after arriving on a flight from Dubai. Police said he has no fixed address and has been charged with theft over $5,000, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. He was produced before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton for a bail hearing.
The case dates back to April 17, 2023, when a cargo flight from Zurich landed at Pearson Airport carrying around 400 kilograms of 99.99% pure gold—nearly 6,600 gold bars—along with about $2.5 million in foreign currency. The shipment was transferred to another secure facility within airport premises but was reported missing just hours later, triggering an extensive investigation involving multiple agencies and jurisdictions.
Project 24K has since expanded into a complex international probe, with charges or arrest warrants issued against ten individuals so far. Among the key suspects is former Air Canada employee Simran Preet Panesar, believed to be hiding in India, who allegedly used insider access to help divert the shipment. Another accused, Durante King-Mclean of Brampton, is wanted on theft-related charges and has already pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking offences in the US. Police say investigations are ongoing as they continue to trace the full network behind the audacious heist.