Prosecutors claim that an Air Canada worker supplied a falsified document, allowing another individual to collect over $22 million in gold and cash from a cargo area at Toronto Pearson airport, marking one of the largest gold thefts in Canadian history. Parmpal Sidhu, described as one of the “inside accomplices,” allegedly facilitated the 2023 heist by providing insider knowledge and assistance, as stated by Crown attorney Jelena Vlacic during the commencement of Sidhu’s trial in Brampton, Ontario.
Evidence to be presented in the trial reportedly includes the creation of a fake air waybill the day before the operation utilizing Sidhu’s credentials. The Crown asserts that Sidhu was responsible for generating this fraudulent document. The driver who collected the gold reportedly possessed an air waybill for a seafood delivery, which was altered with a handwritten reference for the gold shipment, according to Vlacic.
The Crown further alleges that the driver, identified as Durante King-Mclean, escaped to the United States shortly after the heist. He was apprehended in Pennsylvania in September 2023 and has since admitted to conspiring to traffic firearms. Vlacic emphasized that the individual who provided the altered air waybill to King-Mclean was well-informed about the necessary modifications.
Sidhu entered a plea of not guilty on charges of theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offense in court on Monday. The trial witnessed the testimony of Peel regional police Const. Clayton Asano, who detailed the investigation into how the forged air waybill navigated through the cargo facility, including surveillance footage showing a white truck entering the loading bay and the driver interacting with Air Canada personnel.
Additionally, the trial featured cross-examination by Sidhu’s legal team, questioning Asano about potential access to Sidhu’s computer and his presence at the terminal during the incident. The officer explained that he was not privy to all aspects of the investigation. Notably, handwriting analysis of the waybill was not conducted due to insufficient writing samples.
The stolen goods, comprising 6,600 gold bars weighing over 400 kilograms, were reportedly taken from Pearson on April 17, 2023. The gold and currency, originally ordered from a Swiss refinery, arrived via an Air Canada flight and were unloaded at the airport’s cargo facility. A suspect allegedly presented the doctored air waybill to warehouse employees, who then loaded the items onto a truck. Another implicated individual, Archit Grover, is slated to face trial in the upcoming autumn.
