Toronto airport gold heist suspect sees charges dropped

Charges against one of the people accused of being involved in the 2023 Toronto Pearson Airport gold heist have been dropped.

The charges against Ammad Chaudhary in Brampton Superior Court were withdrawn on April 9, the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General confirmed to Global News.

Court documents show the two withdrawn charges are conspiracy to commit theft over $5,000 and accessory after the fact.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.

Court staff did not provide a reason on why the charges were dropped.

According to the document, the Crown withdrew the charges after advising the court that co-accused Arsalan Chaudhary had pleaded guilty and was sentenced the previous day.

Chaudhary was one of nine people charged in connection with the April 17, 2023, theft of about $20 million worth of gold bars from an Air Canada cargo facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Police alleged the shipment arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland, before one suspect used a fraudulent airway bill to obtain the cargo.

Court records show the remaining accused are scheduled to stand trial beginning Sept. 28.