Canadian police probe $22 million gold heist at airport

Canadian police are investigating the theft of a $C20 million ($A22.07 million) cargo of gold and other valuables from a holding facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The cargo was reported missing after arriving on an aircraft early on Monday evening, Peel Regional Police Inspector Stephen Duivesteyn told a news conference on Thursday.

Duivesteyn said the cargo was unloaded after the aircraft landed and taken to a holding facility, in line with normal procedure, but disappeared some time afterward.

"Subsequent to its arrival this high-value cargo was removed by illegal means from the holding facility," Duivesteyn said.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) said it was aware of the theft.

It said the thieves accessed the public side of a warehouse leased to a third party, outside the GTAA's primary security line.

The theft "did not involve access to Toronto Pearson itself and did not pose a threat to passengers or GTAA staff", it said in a statement late on Thursday.

The cargo was reported missing to police a short time later.

Duivesteyn would not say where the aircraft carrying the cargo had come from, or its final destination.

"This is very rare," he said.