Gold heist suspect sentenced for gun smuggling
Durante King-Mclean, the 25-year-old Brampton man accused of being the getaway driver in the $20-million gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport, has been sentenced to 160 months in a U.S. federal prison for gun smuggling. The sentence was handed down Monday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, after King-Mclean pleaded guilty in May 2025 to conspiring to illegally traffic firearms from the United States to Canada.
Details of the gun smuggling operation
According to U.S. authorities, King-Mclean was driving a rental vehicle in September 2023 when state troopers pulled him over. He attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. Inside the vehicle, police discovered 65 handguns, each hidden in a pair of socks. Two of the weapons were semi-automatic, and 11 had been reported stolen. Investigators allege that the firearms were purchased with proceeds from the Pearson gold heist, which occurred on April 17, 2023.
Connection to the Pearson gold heist
King-Mclean is accused of being the driver of the white van that escaped from the Air Canada cargo building at Pearson Airport, carrying a king's ransom in gold. Peel Regional Police have alleged that the weaponry was almost certainly bought with money from the heist. King-Mclean had been lying low in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before heading north on the so-called "Iron Highway," a route used to move guns from states with lax gun laws to the U.S. Northeast and Canada.
Ongoing legal proceedings
None of the gold heist charges against King-Mclean have been proven in court. He is among six individuals arrested in connection with Project 24K, the investigation into the heist. The others include Air Canada employee Parmpal Sidhu, 54, of Brampton; Amit Jalota, 40, of Oakville; Ammad Chaudhary, 43, of Georgetown; Ali Raza, 37, of Toronto; and Prasath Paramalingam, 35, of Brampton. King-Mclean's sentencing in the U.S. will precede any Canadian proceedings related to the gold theft.
Why criminals keep committing crimes
Brad Hunter, the Toronto Sun journalist who reported the story, reflected on why criminals often fail to walk away after a big score. He noted that villains are hard-wired for thrills and adrenaline, describing it as a "behavioural loop." Crime becomes central to their identity, and they are often bad with money, spending lavishly on luxuries, gambling, and partying. "For King-Mclean, that’s what the next 13 years looks like. Jailbirds bragging to each other about their big scores and scheming for the next job," Hunter wrote.
