Snl24 | Woman plots boss’ kidnapping

One of the five suspects arrested in Melrose Arch, Joburg for a kidnapping plot.

FIVE suspects, including two South Africans, two Ugandans, and one Malawian national, were arrested during an intelligence-driven operation that thwarted a kidnapping plot in Melrose Arch, Joburg, on Friday, 23 August.

The suspects were arrested on charges of conspiracy to kidnap and extortion after they gathered at the planned location.

The South African Police Service (SAPS), along with crime intelligence, organised crime operatives, and the Hawks, conducted the operation.

The investigation revealed that a South African woman had conspired to have her employer kidnapped, aiming to force the employer to withdraw large sums of money from her business account.

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Working closely with the intended target, law enforcement officers staged a mock kidnapping to catch the suspects in the act.

The SAPS confirmed that the operation was successful, leading to the arrest of the five suspects who were in the process of planning to collect the money they believed had been transferred following the ‘kidnapping.’

The operation also resulted in the seizure of three vehicles—a Range Rover, a Toyota Ayga, and a white Polo Vivo—along with ten cellphones.

General Fannie Masemola, the National Commissioner of SAPS, commended the intelligence and organised crime units for their meticulous and precise execution of the operation, which ensured the safety of the targeted individual.

“This was a sensitive operation, but through the expertise and skill of our organised crime and intelligence teams, we have successfully dismantled this syndicate. We believe this takedown has prevented numerous other kidnappings. The investigation is ongoing to determine if these suspects are linked to other kidnapping cases, particularly those involving ransom,” said Masemola.

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