Three Nigerians have been
handed 40-year imprisonment by a United Kingdom court for attempting to supply
firearms and illicit drugs. In a statement published on the UK Metropolitan
Police website on Monday, it said, the trio, Kennedy Udo, 29; Michael Mgbedike,
22 and Emmanuel Okubote, 27, were all convicted by Woolwich Crown Court for a
combined 40 years.
It said on Friday, May 17,
at Woolwich Crown Court, Mr Udo of Avery Hill Road, Eltham, was sentenced to
eight years and six months, having been found guilty of conspiracy to supply
drugs and being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition
on the importation of goods.
It said Mr Mgbedike, of
Spur Road, Orpington, BR6 was sentenced to eight years, having been found
guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
Mr Okubote, of Evan Cook Close, Peckham, SE15, was earlier 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 possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was
sentenced to 23 and a half years’ imprisonment in November 2018.
According to the statement,
the sentences follow a proactive operation by the Trident and Area Crime
Command, working with Border Force.
Sarah Smart of Trident command said the arrest was a collaborative work
between agencies, as well as between different departments and experts.“
This conviction
demonstrates the close working partnership between Trident, Border Force and
the Crown Prosecution Service in pursuit of the country’s most dangerous
criminals. 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. The Metropolitan Police
Service, as well as other law enforcement agencies, are committed to making the
UK a hostile environment for these criminals to operate,” the police said.
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