Canadian prosecutors have withdrawn charges against two men who had been accused of involvement in the theft of gold and cash from Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2023.
Amit Jalota and Ali Raza had faced allegations connected to the possession of stolen gold or money believed to have been linked to the multimillion-dollar heist. The charges against both men were withdrawn last week.
The two had consistently denied any involvement in the crime. Their lawyers said the decision had brought relief to their clients, who could now begin rebuilding their lives after spending years dealing with the criminal justice process.
The April 2023 theft involved more than 6,500 gold bars weighing about 400kgnand valued at approximately C$20 million alongside millions of dollars in cash. Canadian authorities later described it as the largest gold theft in the country’s history.
Investigators allege that the shipment arrived at the airport aboard an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland. The perpetrators are accused of gaining access to the cargo facility by presenting a fraudulent airway bill before loading the consignment onto a truck. Police announced several arrests in connection with the investigation approximately a year after the theft.
Jalota’s lawyer said his client had endured significant personal and professional consequences as a result of the allegations, which attracted widespread publicity in Canada and internationally.
The case has also led to convictions involving other individuals. Earlier this year, a Canadian court sentenced one man to four years in prison for his role in helping plan the robbery. Another suspect was sentenced in the United States to 160 months in prison after pleading guilty to a firearms-trafficking conspiracy. He had been arrested in Pennsylvania with 65 handguns in his vehicle, with Canadian investigators alleging that money from the Toronto heist was used to finance the purchase.
Two other accused persons are scheduled to face separate trials later this year on conspiracy-to-commit-theft charges. They have pleaded not guilty.
