Five "dangerous" criminals who plotted to sell guns have been jailed for a total of 37 years.

The men – three of whom are from Tottenham – were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday after a police operation uncovered four guns and ammunition between August 2011 and June this year.

Bradley Buchanan, 25, of Flexmere Road in Tottenham, Khavi Chadee, 26, of Grasmere Road in Tottenham and Dyrell Nestor, 24, of Liverpool Road in Islington were caught when they arranged to sell a gun and ammunition for £7,000 in a car park in Chingford on August 8 last year.

David Komolafe, 39, of Factory Lane in Tottenham was arrested on August 19 last year and Adewole Adetunji, 44, of Bradmore Court in Enfield was arrested on June 11 this year for conspiracy to sell guns.

Among the gun stash was a converted firearm and a Mac 10 machine gun.

Detective inspector Rob Murray, from Central Task Force at the Metropolitan Police, who led the operation, said: "There is no doubt these were dangerous individuals who had every intention of selling the firearms on to other criminals to commit serious offences. I'm pleased they are now behind bars."

Chadee and Buchanan were sentenced to six years and Nestor and Komolafe were jailed for eight years for conspiracy to supply a prohibited weapon.

Adetunji was sentenced to nine years for passport offences, possession with intent to supply drugs and conspiracy to supply prohibited weapons.