KwaZulu-Natal police officers rescued six men who were kidnapped in Pietermaritzburg last Friday. The men, who had been held at a house in Newlands West, were reportedly tortured and beaten by their captors.
The rescue operation involved a multi-disciplinary team, including the DPCI provincial tracking team, Anti-Gang Unit, DPCI Economic Protected Resources members, DPCI PMB NVPC, kidnapping team, Mayville Crime Prevention, Magma Security and Investigations, and Hawks Protection Services.
During the operation, two suspects were arrested after a car chase and shootout. One of the suspects was found driving a VW Polo that had been stolen from the victims. The kidnappers had allegedly extorted about R100,000 from the men over the past week.
In an interesting development, authorities believe the arrested suspects may be linked to the Mariannhill gang that was shot dead by police a few days ago. This suggests a possible breakthrough in the ongoing fight against criminal gangs in the area.
More arrests are expected to follow as the investigation continues. The rescued men are receiving medical treatment and support as they recover from their ordeal.
The police have commended the bravery and dedication of all the officers involved in the successful operation, which has brought relief to the victims and their families.
