Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada manager wanted for his alleged role in the largest gold heist in Canadian history, is reportedly preparing to surrender himself. The heist, amounting to a whopping $20 million, took place in April 2023 at Toronto’s Pearson airport.
According to Panesar’s lawyer, Greg Lafontaine, who spoke to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Friday, Panesar, currently out of the country, intends to return voluntarily within the next few weeks to face the charges against him. Lafontaine emphasised Panesar’s eagerness to prove his innocence, stating, “He is anxious to have an opportunity to demonstrate his absolute innocence.”
The lawyer expressed Panesar’s confidence in the justice system, assuring that once the legal proceedings are concluded, Panesar will be cleared of any wrongdoing. The police had previously arrested six individuals in connection with the heist and were actively seeking three more suspects, two of whom were Air Canada employees.
The theft involved the forging of an airway bill to steal a cargo shipment containing 6,600 gold bars weighing 400 kg (882 pounds) and C$2.5 million in foreign currency from Switzerland. While the investigation unfolds, Panesar’s lawyer refrained from providing further details on the matter.
In a related development, police announced the arrest and charging of Archit Grover, another individual allegedly involved in the elaborate gold heist scheme.
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