Pearson gold heist organizer handed 4-year prison sentence - BERITAJA

A main organizer of what authorities person described arsenic the largest golden heist successful Canadian history has been sentenced to 4 years successful prison.

Arsalan Chaudhary, 44, has besides been ordered to repay $22 cardinal – a restitution bid that will beryllium successful spot for 40 years – for his engagement successful the April 2023 theft astatine Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Ontario Court Justice Shannon McPherson delivered her condemnation successful a Brampton, Ont. courtroom Wednesday.

Chaudhary, who was arrested this January astatine Pearson aft arriving connected a formation from Dubai, was charged pinch theft complete $5,000, 2 counts of possession of spot obtained by crime and conspiracy to perpetrate an indictable offence.

The 2023 heist, which made international headlines at the time, progressive 6,600 golden bars weighted astatine much than $20 cardinal stolen from Pearson; rate weighted astatine $2.5 cardinal was besides taken.

The golden and rate were ordered from a refinery successful Zurich, Switzerland, and were transported successful a instrumentality done an Air Canada formation that landed successful Toronto.

That formation landed 3 years agone connected April 17, 2023, astatine 3:56 p.m. The cargo was past offloaded from the level to an Air Canada cargo installation astatine 6:32 p.m.

Police alleged a fishy arrived astatine the installation pinch a “fraudulent airway bill” and gave it to an attendant.

A short clip later, a forklift arrived pinch a instrumentality of golden and overseas currency, which was loaded into the rear of the suspect’s truck.

At about 9:30 p.m., Brink’s Canada labor went to the Air Canada cargo tract to prime up the shipment of golden and currency. Police were contacted the pursuing time and an investigation launched.

Video surveillance obtained by officers showed the motortruck drove westbound into Halton Region to northbound of Milton, Ont. That region is much rural, and yet the motortruck was lost.

On April 17, 2024, police announced 37 hunt warrants were issued on pinch 70 accumulation orders; officers seized $430,000 successful Canadian rate during the hunt warrants.

Also seized were six crudely made golden bracelets resembling bangles that were sent disconnected for master examination. They were axenic golden and the full worth was much than $89,000.

In addition, officers seized smelting pots, casts and molds. The motortruck allegedly utilized to bargain the golden and rate was besides seized by police.

To date, 9 individuals person been charged aliases are wanted, and much than 21 charges person been laid.

The investigation into the theft remains ongoing.

Anyone pinch accusation is asked to interaction police.