A firearms deal was foiled by police after they watched a gun being handed over between two men at a house in Medway.

The pair have now been jailed after armed police and officers from the National Crime Agency swooped in following the deal in Rochester last year which led to a two-hour stand-off involving the police helicopter .

Bulgarian nationals Kristian Romanov, 24, and Kristyan Hristev, 30, were this week locked up after admitting firearms and drug charges at Maidstone Crown Court.

The men met at Hristev's house in Parr's Head Mews, Rochester but were unaware surveillance officers from the NCA were watching them on December 2.

Romanov, of Windsor Road, Gillingham, picked up a rucksack and left the property in a car.

After driving a short distance, armed police arrested Romanov and his two passengers and seized a Glock 42 handgun with several rounds of live 9mm ammunition from the bag.

NCA officers and Kent Police armed response units surrounded Hristev's house for two hours during a stand-off until he and his housemate finally emerged and were arrested.

At an earlier court hearing, Hristev said his dog had found the weapon in a nearby park and Romanov claimed he believed the bag contained a woman's blouse which he had arranged to collect .

The court heard some 43 bullets were found in the car and on the rooftop of Hristev's property after being thrown out of a window during the police siege.

The 5.94-inch long Glock weapon was said to be only the second one of its type made by the American company found in the UK.

Police also found 17g of cocaine on the rooftops.

Hristev later admitted possessing the class A drugs as well as charges of transferring a prohibited firearm, transferring ammunition to another and possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate.

Romanov admitted possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a certificate.

Hristev was jailed for nine years while Romanov was given five years and seven months behind bars during a hearing yesterday.

The other three men arrested as part of this investigation were released with no further action.

Eddie McGrann, from the NCA Armed Operations Unit which led the investigation, said: “The NCA continues in its fight to combat serious and organised crime, particularly crime that involves firearms that can have significant impact on our communities.

“Our priority is to protect the public; we will work with our international and domestic partners using all investigation methods to bring offenders to justice”.

“I would like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service, including specialist prosecutor Tim Burton, Kent Police, and the National Firearms Targeting Centre for their support during this investigation.”

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