A gang who armed themselves with a sub-machine gun to rob drug dealers has been jailed for a total of 33 years.

Hamza Jama, 20, of Greenlawn Lane, Brentford, Aseebullah Noori, 24, of Cedar Grove, W5, and Naureen Rashid, 49, of Fletcher Road, W4, armed themselves with a MAC-10 machine gun and robbed £58,000 of cannabis from dealers in Botwell Lane, Hayes, on April 19, 2015.

Jama was sentenced to a total of 16 years at Isleworth Crown Court yesterday (June 21), eight years for conspiracy to rob, six for conspiracy to possess cannabis with intent to supply and 16 for possession of a MAC-10 with intent to endanger life, all to be served concurrently.

Noori was given 11 years after admitting possession of the gun with intent to endanger life, and Rashid to six for conspiracy to rob and possession of cannabis.

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

The machine gun and cannabis were found in the getaway car

Jama and Noori ran into the property while Rashid, the getaway driver, waited in the car with the engine running.

Jame and Noori ran out of the house carrying bags of cannabis and the trio drove off.

Police led by the Trident and Area Crime Command stopped the car in Ruislip Road at 6.15pm on April 19; Noori initially evaded arrest but was eventually detained in Holland earlier this year.

Police found nine kilograms of cannabis worth £58,000, the machine gun, cable ties and duct tape in the car.

Police were also able to trace where the gun had originated from and two days later caught a man named Yaqub Mohamed delivering a shotgun to Sizwae Dube at a house in Gresham Road, Hounslow.

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

Hamza Jama, from Brentford, was jailed for 16 years

Mohamed, 22, was arrested and a Berreta pistol, ammunition and a stun gun were found at the address. Dube, 23, was arrested shortly afterwards.

Dube was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment pleading guilty to possession of ammunition, possession of the Berreta, possession of a stun gun and possession of a sawn-off shotgun. He was found guilty of possessing the MAC-10 with intent to endanger life.

Mohamed, of Holdernesse Close, Tooting, admitted transferring a prohibited weapon, namely the sawn-off shotgun, and was jailed for five years.

Detective inspector Tim Grinsted, who led the operation said: "I am very pleased with the sentences passed by the court which reflect the severity of the offences.

"Three guns, including a machine gun, have been removed from the streets of London along with five people prepared to put their financial gain over the safety of our communities.

"This case demonstrates the Met Police and Trident’s relentless efforts to deal with armed criminality and should serve as a warning to others considering similar criminal ventures."