Man jailed for 27 years for guns and drugs offences

Ammunition found by police when they stopped the car Babatunde Arogundade was travelling in Credit: Metropolitan Police

A man stopped by police and found to have a handgun, sawn-off shotgun and pump action shotgun in his car has been jailed for a total of 27 years.

Babatunde Arogundade, 28, of Westmacott House, Hatton Street was arrested in 2013 and charged with guns and drugs offences. Another man and a woman, also charged with conspiring to sell drugs, have been jailed.

The net began to close around the three defendants when police arrested Nicole Douglas on 7 May 2013 after she was caught with a kilo of cocaine on her, during a vehicle stop on Friern Barnet Road. Her home was searched and police found large amounts of cutting agent.

Nicole Douglas was jailed after she was caught with a kilo of cocaine Credit: Metropolitan Police

Arogundade was arrested on 27 May 2013 in Eastwick Row, Hemel Hempstead after officers stopped a car he was travelling in and discovered six firearms in the boot - including a handgun, a shortened pump action shotgun and a sawn-off shotgun together with ammunition.

A Smith & Wesson handgun found when police stopped Arogundade Credit: Metropolitan Police
A sawn-off shotgun that was also found when police searched the car Credit: Metropolitan Police

Further inquiries linked the drugs to Arogundade and Fred Jones-Lartey, who was later arrested in November 2013.

Arogundade was given a 15-year term for conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, eight years for possession of loaded firearms and four years for possession of unloaded firearms. The sentences will be served consecutively.

Fred Jones-Lartey, 34, of Kechill Gardens, Bromley was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply controlled drugs.

Fred Jones-Lartey was jailed for conspiring to supply drugs Credit: Metropolitan Police

Nicole Douglas, 28, of Princes Court, Wembley was sentenced to four years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply controlled drugs.

Arogundade and Jones-Lartey were convicted following a five-week trial at the Old Bailey. Douglas had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs on 26 November 2013.

Bianca Willoughby, who had been charged after being arrested at the scene with Arogundade, was later acquitted at court, being found not guilty of possession of firearms.