Woolwich Crown Court has jailed three Nigerian men for a combined sentence of 40 years for conspiring to transport firearms and drugs into and out of the UK via Eurotunnel.
The convicts are Kennedy Udo, 28; Michael Mgbedike, 22; and Emmanuel Okubote, 27.
Udo was sentenced to eight years and six months, Mgbedike was jailed for eight years while Okubote was handed 23.5 years jail term.
The court jailed Udo and Mgbedike on May 17. Okubote, however, was convicted in September 2018 while he was handed his sentence in November that year.
The Trident and Area Crime Command had in August 2017 intercepted two loaded firearms, ammunition and a sound moderator in Coquelles, France, in a car destined for Folkestone, England.
About 990 grams of high purity cocaine were recovered from inside the car’s roof cavity.
Udo and Mgbedike were arrested at the scene and subsequently charged.
After investigation, Okubote and a woman were arrested in August 2017 and charged in January 2018 in connection to the firearms.
The court heard that Okubote was the main orchestrator in the conspiracy, using others with little or no previous criminal history to work for him.
At least three importations of prohibited firearms and drugs are said to have taken place before their arrest.
