A pistol seized by armed police in Dagenham
(Picture: Met Police)Four men have been jailed after armed police stopped a car in east London and found a stash of firearms.
The officers were staking out a business premises in Dagenham when they saw a brown paper being put into the back of a car.
They moved in on the vehicle and found four Sig Sauer handguns were found in bags in the boot. There were also 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
A Glock pistol, a taser and rounds of ammunition were also found at two addresses connected with the car which was stopped in September 2020.
Ahmet Budak, 35, from Hackney, who was driving the car, was sentenced to seven years and nine months’ imprisonment for possession of firearms at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday.
Blaine Nurden, 28, of no fixed address was sentenced to 12 years and three months’ imprisonment for possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
At the same court Billy Flynn, 22, from Bexley was sentenced to 11 years and three months’ imprisonment for possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
Hayden Nurden, 25, of Shafter Road, Dagenham was sentenced to 11 years and three months’ imprisonment for possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
Hasan Ekinci, 41, from Hackney pleaded guilty to possession of firearms with intent to endanger life. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Officers identified Blaine Nurden through analysis of mobile phone call records as arranging the firearms deal from within prison.
At the time of this offence, he was serving an existing prison sentence for previous firearms and drugs offences.
Phone analysis and CCTV evidence was used to bring the four to justice.
Police suggested to the court that £5,500 would be the asking price for the weapons some of which were hidden under a ink and in a wardrobe.
Detective Inspector Lewis Sanderson, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Team, said: “The criminal use of firearms has the most tragic consequences on our communities. The work of detectives in taking these lethal weapons off our streets is vital and there is no doubt in my mind this has prevented serious violent crime.
“This investigation demonstrates our commitment to holding those involved in the distribution of these weapons to account. I hope these convictions send a strong message to those involved, we will seek you out and bring you to justice.
“The Met is committed to tackling and reducing violent crime. Part of this involves relying on our communities to come forward with any information they have about anyone who may be carrying a weapon.”
Please contact police immediately on 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. You could be saving a life.
