Toronto Man Cleared in High-Profile Gold Robbery Case

Prosecutors have dropped a charge against a man from Toronto who was implicated in the high-profile gold robbery at Pearson airport in 2023. Ali Raza, aged 40, was apprehended and accused in April 2024 of possessing unlawfully acquired property connected to the heist. The Crown decided to retract the charge on Wednesday, citing a lack of concrete evidence against Raza. Expressing his relief outside the Brampton Courthouse, Raza maintained his innocence, stating, “I am innocent. It feels good.” Raza kept his remarks brief, deferring most inquiries to his lawyer, Brij Mohan, who expressed satisfaction that the legal ordeal spanning nearly two years had concluded. The robbery occurred on April 17, 2023, at Pearson airport following the arrival of a flight from Zurich, Switzerland, carrying a cargo shipment of 400 kilograms of gold worth over $20 million at the time, alongside approximately $2.5 million in foreign currency, which was reported missing the next day.