Toronto. The gold heist of about $20 million i.e. about Rs 165 crore that took place in 2023 is the biggest theft in the history of Canada. In this case, the Canadian government has demanded the extradition of accused Preet Panesar from India. According to the Canadian Police in the media report, 32 year old Preet Panesar was the main link in this entire theft. Panesar has worked as a manager in Air Canada and is accused of stealing containers filled with gold by misusing the air cargo system.
According to reports, Panesar hacked the system by identifying the gold shipment and through this played an important role in getting the gold filled container out of the airport. In February 2025, investigation revealed that Panesar was hiding in India. He was caught in a rented house in Mohali, Punjab. On this, the Enforcement Directorate conducted a raid on charges of money laundering and registered a case. It is suspected that after the theft, about Rs 8.5 crore was brought to India through the Hawala system, which was used in projects in the music and film industry. This money was invested through Panesar’s wife’s company.
Meanwhile, Canadian police has arrested another accused Arsalan Chaudhary from Toronto Pearson Airport. Till now, a case has been registered against a total of nine accused, while two including Preet Panesar are still absconding. Enforcement Directorate officials say an official extradition request has not been received yet, but contacts with Canadian agencies are ongoing. This case has become a major challenge for law enforcement cooperation between the two countries.
