Almost $2 million worth of gold bars are still missing following the arrest of five people in Toronto by heavily armed officers.
Police say members of the Emergency Task Force stormed a home in an upscale neighbourhood, forcing a nearby school into a lockdown.
So far, only one of 75 10-oz. gold bars has been recovered. Nineteen one-kg gold bars and two 100-g. bars also remain missing. All were manufactured by Australia’s Perth Mint and were allegedly bought in Montreal in February with a bank draft obtained through fraud.
Police are continuing to warn jewellers and precious metals dealers to be on the lookout for the bars, which bear the mint’s symbols on the front and kangaroos on the back.
The Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for any information that leads to the arrest, conviction, and recovery of the gold bars.
Five people are facing 14 counts of fraud and conspiracy: Siva Suthakaran, 45, of Toronto; Natasha Sukh, 29, of Ajax; Remy Boghossian, 44, of Pickering; Raffi Ebrekdjian, 51, of Toronto; and Garnet Marziliano, 29, of Toronto.
Two other people were previously arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime.
Anyone with information about the gold bars is asked to call Toronto police at (416) 808-7304 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (416) 222-8477.
