1 month ago
One twelvemonth aft a brazen gold heist astatine nan Toronto airport, 9 suspects person been charged successful an investigation constabulary said "belongs successful a Netflix series."
In total, 6,600 golden bars weighing complete 800 pounds, worthy an estimated $20 million, and astir $2.5 cardinal successful overseas currencies were stolen from Toronto Pearson International Airport successful April 2023. At nan time, constabulary described nan lawsuit arsenic "very rare." Now they telephone it nan largest golden heist successful Canadian history.
In a news conference Wednesday, constabulary said 19 charges had been laid successful nan associated investigation — dubbed Project 24K — involving Peel Police and nan U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Five suspects, including an Air Canada employee, were arrested past released pinch conditions and will look successful tribunal astatine a later date. A warrant was issued for different man who was besides an worker of nan hose astatine nan clip of nan theft. In summation to nan warrant for nan erstwhile employee, 2 much Canada-wide warrants were issued for those not yet apprehended.
Police said nan golden arrived connected an day formation from Zurich, Switzerland, connected April 17, 2023. The instrumentality pinch nan valuable shipment was past taken from nan Air Canada level and brought to a cargo facility. One of nan suspects was capable to summation introduction to nan facility, load nan items onto a transportation motortruck and thrust away. Police said nan driver presented a fraudulent airway bill, a archive pinch specifications connected a shipment.
Sgt. Mike Mavity of nan Peel Police successful Canada speaks to nan media astir arrests made successful nan theft of $20 cardinal successful golden from Toronto's Pearson International Airport, arsenic portion of Project 24Karat, a associated investigation pinch U.S. national agents, connected April 17, 2024.
Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Later successful nan evening, Brink's Canada, nan institution hired to carrier nan gold, arrived to cod nan shipment and recovered that it had already been taken. Brink's sued Air Canada successful October, saying nan hose grounded to decently unafraid nan cargo, according to The Toronto Star newspaper.
Police said nan driver of nan motortruck was identified arsenic 25-year-old Durante King-McLean, who is successful custody successful nan United States. He was arrested successful Pennsylvania successful September aft authorities troopers recovered 65 firearms successful his rental vehicle.
"We are alleging that immoderate individuals who participated successful this golden theft are besides progressive successful aspects of firearms trafficking," lead interrogator Det.-Sgt. Mike Mavity said.
Police seized six crudely made golden bracelets during nan investigation, weighted astatine astir $89,000. Mavity said smelting equipment, utilized to melt down nan stolen golden bars to disguise them arsenic items for illustration bracelets, was besides seized. A jewelry shop proprietor is among those arrested.
The theft was bigger than a 1990 heist astatine Montreal's Dorval Airport that netted $13.7 cardinal successful golden and different valuables.
- In:
- Toronto
- Canada
