Canadian prosecutors have dropped charges against Amit Jalota and Ali Raza, two men accused in connection with the 2023 Toronto Pearson Airport gold heist. Their lawyers stated that their clients maintained their innocence and were relieved by the decision, which allows them to move forward after their lives were significantly impacted by the allegations.
Jalota and Raza had been accused of possessing stolen gold or currency linked to the crime. "He has been punitively and unreasonably punished for the last three years as he was forced to navigate the criminal justice system and the fall out of these allegations that were publicly broadcasted both nationally and internationally," Jalota's lawyer said in a statement.
The heist, which occurred in April 2023, involved the theft of over 6,500 gold bars valued at C$20 million (approximately $14.5 million USD), along with millions in cash. The items had arrived at Toronto Pearson Airport on a flight from Zurich, Switzerland.
Police allege that an individual used a fraudulent airway bill to access the cargo facility and facilitate the theft of the gold, which weighed around 400 kilograms (881 pounds), using a truck. The investigation led to several arrests a year after the incident.
Other legal proceedings related to the heist are ongoing. Earlier this year, one man received a four-year sentence for his role in planning the theft. In the United States, another individual was sentenced to 160 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to illegally traffic firearms, with Canadian police suggesting the funds for the firearms originated from the heist. Two additional accused individuals are scheduled for separate trials later this year on conspiracy to commit theft charges, and they have also pleaded not guilty.