What We Know So Far About the Toronto Airport $20 Million Heist

A sign for Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ont., on April 20, 2023. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press)

There have been very few details made public so far about the $20 million heist of gold and other “high-value” items at the Toronto Pearson Airport.

Police said the plane shipping the cargo arrived at the airport in the early evening of April 17. After the plane was unloaded the cargo was transported to a holding facility, and it was from there that the cargo was removed by “illegal means.”

The Globe and Mail reported on April 20 that the gold was being shipped through Air Canada’s cargo operations.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) noted in a statement that the thieves accessed “the public side of a warehouse that is leased to a third party,” which was outside of the airport authority’s primary security line.

“This did not involve access to Toronto Pearson itself and did not pose a threat to passengers or GTAA staff,” the statement said.

Peel Regional Police Inspector Stephen Duivesteyn also confirmed that the theft was “an isolated incident” and poses no threat to travellers at the airport.

“Our goal right now is to solve this theft. So as you can appreciate, a lot of the intimate details I can’t provide because our team is assembled, they are working diligently on this case, and we want to solve it,” he said at a press conference outside the police station on April 20.

Duivesteyn would not confirm whether police suspect organized crime plants within the airport were responsible for the theft, saying only “our investigators have got their eyes open to all avenues.” He said that the RCMP will be assisting in the investigation, but the Peel Regional Police currently maintains the lead.

A Peel Regional Police spokesperson told The Epoch Times that they had no updates as of April 22, and declined to confirm if any suspects have been identified.

Marnie Cathcart contributed to this report.