Charges dropped against men accused in Pearson airport gold heist

Prosecutors have dropped all charges against Ali Raza and Amit Jalota in connection with the massive 2023 gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Ali Raza, a Toronto jeweler, and Amit Jalota, of Oakville, were accused of assisting in the movement and melting of stolen gold. Raza was alleged to have used his jewelry store workshop for these purposes, while Jalota was accused of bringing the stolen gold to Raza.

Crown attorney Jelena Vlacic informed the Ontario Superior Court that the decision to halt proceedings was based on new evidence. Vlacic stated that the prosecution’s case had previously rested on circumstantial evidence and that, following the evolution of the investigation, there was no longer a reasonable prospect of conviction.

The heist, described as one of the largest in Canadian history, involved the theft of approximately 400 kilograms of gold and $2.5 million in foreign currency from a cargo shipment arriving from Zurich. While charges against Raza and Jalota have been withdrawn, other individuals involved in the case are scheduled to face trial in the coming weeks.