Three Nigerians have been sentenced to a combined 40 years in UK jail over charges of conspiracy to supply firearms and drugs.

Kennedy Udo, Michael Mgbedike and Emmanuel Okubote conspired to bring drugs and guns into the UK through the channel tunnel.

The trio were rumbled when, on August 12 2017, two loaded guns, with ammunition and a silencer were found in a car travelling from in Coquelles, France, to Folkestone, Kent.

After the car was seized, almost a kilogramme of high-purity cocaine was discovered inside.

Udo of Avery Hill Road, Eltham, and Mgbedike of Spur Road, Orpington, were arrested at the scene.

An investigation by the Met Police discovered links to Okubote of Evan Cook Close, Peckham, who was arrested on August 13.

Detectives established that the men had made several trips to Amsterdam, via Eurotunnel, during the months of July and August 2017.

It is believed that at least three importations of prohibited firearms and drugs had taken place.

Okubote was the ringleader, using others with little or no previous criminal history to work for him.

Udo was jailed for eight years and six months after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply drugs and being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of goods.

Mgbedike was sentenced to eight years, having been found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Last September Okubote was found guilty of conspiracy to supply firearms with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply class A drugs and possessing ammunition with intent to endanger life, he was jailed for 23-and-a-half years in prison on November 9.

DC Sarah Smart of the Met’s Operation Trident team said:

“Emmanuel Okubote, along with Michael Mgbedike and Kennedy Udo were intent on importing loaded firearms and drugs through the UK’s borders, bringing misery to the communities that we serve.

“The collaborative work between agencies, as well as between different departments and experts within the Met, has undoubtedly saved lives.

This demonstrates that law enforcement agencies will relentlessly pursue those who carry, and those who facilitate the movement of firearms and drugs into and within the UK.”

Okubote was sentenced to 23.5 years’ imprisonment on 9 November 2018.

Three men who conspired to transport firearms and drugs into the UK via Eurotunnel have been sentenced to a total of 40 years following an operation by the Met, the UK Border Force and CPS. https://t.co/52YjiNYvhk pic.twitter.com/fUAoSGJXEU

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 20, 2019