The Aporia · Canada's largest gold heist of 2023: 'Fugitive' Simran Preet Panesar can't leave India; 'If he's hiding, he's hiding in plain daylight'

In 2023, over $20 million worth of gold was stolen from Toronto Pearson International Airport by insiders and outsiders working together. The heist involved a shipment of about 400 kg of pure gold that vanished within a day after its arrival on April 17, 2023. Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada employee, is one of nine individuals charged but cannot leave India due to local legal issues surrounding the stolen gold. His lawyer claims Panesar is not hiding and is openly in India working on various projects.

Written by AI on 2026-10-04, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

In 2023, a spectacular gold heist occurred at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada, where nearly 400 kg of .9999-pure gold and over $2.5 million in currency were stolen from an Air Canada cargo warehouse shortly after arriving on a flight from Switzerland. The theft was valued at more than $22 million, making it the largest heist in Canadian history.

The investigation revealed that insiders played a critical role in the crime, as evident by security lapses such as unauthorized access to crucial shipment information using employees' log-in credentials. Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada employee with insider knowledge, is now wanted for his alleged involvement but cannot leave India due to suspicions he smuggled and sold stolen gold there.

Canada has requested Panesar's arrest and extradition from India, where he fled after the incident. Indian authorities suspect that much of the stolen gold was melted down and sold in local markets, complicating recovery efforts.

Written for “Toronto Airport Gold Heist Investigation” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Toronto Airport Gold Heist Investigation

Crime & Law · 5 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

This article reads unscored and hedges 7% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

India’s search for missing loot from Toronto airport gold heist prevents alleged inside man from returning to Canada for trial Same event

National Post

Hedges 5 of 46 claims Outlet record 60/100

Air Canada’s woeful security at cargo warehouse at time of Toronto’s airport gold heist detailed in court Same event

National Post

Hedges 3 of 40 claims Outlet record 60/100

‘Curious’ Air Canada IT worker tried to think like a crook to trace how airport gold heist was pulled off Same event

National Post

Hedges 4 of 48 claims Outlet record 60/100

Trial hears of two mysterious phone calls the day $22M in gold and cash stolen from Toronto Pearson airport Same event

National Post

Hedges 2 of 55 claims Outlet record 60/100

Trial begins for man accused in Pearson gold heist Different event

The Globe and Mail

Hedges 0 of 8 claims Outlet record 52/100

“Article A describes the initial theft and investigation of Canada's largest gold heist in Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2023, while Article B reports on a trial beginning for one individual accused in that same event, discussing more recent developments including dropped charges against others.”

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

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Poulomi Ghosh

83 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 83 articles by Poulomi Ghosh →

In 2023, more than $20 million worth of gold was stolen from Toronto Pearson International Airport in what went down in history as Canada's largest gold heist. asserted

what → steal → heist

On April 17, 2023, a cargo shipment arrived at Pearson from Zurich containing approximately 400 kg of .9999-pure gold. asserted

shipment → arrive → gold

After the shipment was unloaded and kept at a location on the airport premises, it went missing within a day. asserted

it → unload → day

Investigators launched Project 24K to bust the heist and nine people were charged. asserted

people → launch → heist

It was revealed that insiders were hand in glove with the heist and a former Air Canada employee, Simran Preet Panesar, was 'wanted' in Canada. asserted

employee → reveal → Canada

As he was reported to be in India, Canada requested Panesar's arrest and extradition from India. asserted

Canada → report → India

Simran Preet Panesar can't leave India, report says A National Post report said that Panesar can't return to Canada to face trial because Indian authorities won't let him leave over suspicions that he brought his loot to India to secretly sell. asserted

he → leave → India

National Post obtained documents from India which said Panesar has been living in India after resigning from Air Canada after the heist. asserted

Panesar → obtain → heist

India suspects that a large postion of the stolen gold had been melted down and sold in markets that are flushed with gold such as India or Dubai, the report said. asserted

report → suspect → India

"Investigation is required to be conducted to ascertain the total proceeds of crime generated, layered, and integrated in the form of movable and immovable properties and identify all the persons/entities who is involved or knowingly assisted," a report by India's Enforcement Directorate, as obtained by National Post, said. asserted

report → require → Post

Panesar's lawyer in Canada told Post that he is not a fugitive as everyone knows he is in India. asserted

he → tell → India

"If he's hiding, he's hiding in plain daylight," Greg Lafontaine said in an interview. asserted

Lafontaine → hide → interview

He's always said he's in India. asserted

he → say → India

We've never kept that back." asserted

We → keep → that

Lafontaine said Panesar was in India working on a movie project. asserted

Panesar → say → project

The ED report said he is producing music videos with his wife and managing a recording business. asserted

he → say → business

Lafontaine said Panesar can't come to Canada as he is dealing with the Indian legal system. asserted

he → say → system

He didn't flee from anything. asserted

He → flee → anything

He was there, doing his thing for a period of months before the charges were laid. asserted

charges → do → months

He's been portrayed as actively avoiding coming to Canada, which is far from the truth." asserted

which → portray → truth

He was charged in connection with the theft. asserted

He → charge → theft

His charges were withdrawn in September 2026, according to his lawyer, and he had maintained his innocence. uncertain

he → withdraw → innocence

Ammad Chaudhary: Georgetown man who was charged in the case. asserted

who → charge → case

His charges were also withdrawn in September 2026. asserted

charges → withdraw → September

He remains wanted after failing to appear in court; police issued a bench warrant. asserted

police → remain → warrant

Simran Preet Panesar: Former Air Canada employee who allegedly worked for the airline at the time of the theft. uncertain

who → work → theft

Police say he remains wanted on a Canada-wide warrant and is believed to be in India. asserted

he → say → India

Archit Grover: Brampton man who was arrested at Pearson after arriving from India and charged with theft over $5,000 and conspiracy. asserted

who → arrest → 5,000

He faces charges including theft over $5,000, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime and conspiracy. asserted

He → face → crime

He was arrested in the US in a separate firearms case and remains subject to a Canadian warrant related to the gold theft. asserted

He → arrest → theft

Canada's largest gold heist of 2023: 'Fugitive' Simran Preet Panesar can't leave India; 'If he's hiding, he's hiding in plain daylight'

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