Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man from Toronto who was accused of participating in the high-value gold theft at Pearson airport in 2023. Ali Raza, aged 40 and a resident of Toronto, was apprehended and charged in April 2024 for possessing property acquired through criminal means in connection to the robbery. The Crown decided to withdraw the charge on Wednesday, citing the reliance on circumstantial evidence in the case against Raza. Following the decision, Raza expressed his contentment with the conclusion, asserting his innocence and stating, “The feeling is good,” while speaking outside the Brampton Courthouse.
Raza kept his comments brief and mostly deferred inquiries to one of his legal representatives, Brij Mohan. Mohan expressed relief that Raza’s legal ordeal had come to an end after nearly two years, emphasizing that justice had prevailed in the proceedings. The theft occurred on April 17, 2023, at Pearson airport shortly after a flight arrived from Zurich, Switzerland, transporting a cargo consignment of 400 kilograms of gold, valued at over $20 million at that time, along with approximately $2.5 million in foreign currency. The disappearance of these valuables was reported the day following the incident.