Police chase gang of kidnappers who fled in taxi, recover cash

A gang of alleged kidnappers who abducted a man and thought they had got away with a stash of random cash got the surprise of their life when police pounced on them.

KwaZulu-Natal SAPS spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said a team of police officers had set up a sting operation to catch the alleged kidnappers on Saturday night.

She said the team had been formed to conduct an investigation after a 24-year-old Indian national had been kidnapped from a parking lot in the Durban central business district. 

 “The team was informed that the suspects were communicating with the victim’s brother demanding  a ransom. The money was arranged and the meeting point was given to the victim’s brother on South Coast Road in Clairwood,” Mbele said.

“An operation was conducted following the leads but  subsequently the meeting point was changed to Wiggins Road in Mobeni. The team tactically proceeded to the meeting point where the ransom was given to the suspect by the victim’s brother,” Mbele said.

Mbele said that the kidnappers had then allegedly driven away in an e-hailing taxi. She said the suspects had dropped off the victim and the police had then chased the vehicle.

“The vehicle was stopped by the  team at Wiggins Road and intercepted. Two occupants of the vehicle, one of which was a foreign national, were arrested with the cash,” Mbele said.

“The investigation continued to the suspect’s place of residence where a  9mm pistol, fifteen rounds of ammunition and the suspect’s cellular phones were found and seized,” she added.

Mbele said that the police were also working on tracing additional suspects who are linked to the case.

Both of the alleged kidnappers, who are aged 34 and 39, are expected to appear in the Durban Magistrates Court tomorrow to face charges of kidnapping and extortion.