Police rescue kidnap victim from Knysna drug den

Western Cape police have arrested four people after rescuing a kidnap victim from a house in Knysna where they also discovered drugs and cash.  

Police spokesperson Capt Frederick van Wyk said police received a report of a kidnapping  on Thursday.

Police pounced on Friday after identifying the suspects and where they were keeping the victim, from whom they demanded money to be released, he said.

“All intelligence was co-ordinated and an operational team comprising the Knysna crime prevention unit and flying squad members were deployed to a house in Robololo. The Malawian victim was found and brought to safety,” Van Wyk said.

“During the search 70g of tik and 156 Mandrax tablets worth R33,860 were seized.”

Four people, including a woman, were arrested.

“After interviewing the victim and one of the suspects at the police station, a follow-up operation was conducted at the premises of one suspect, a foreign national of Nigerian descent, [which] led to the further discovery of 7,500 Mandrax tablets and 1.5kg tik worth R502,500.

“Cash of R20,000, believed to be the proceeds of crime, was also found and confiscated.”

The four are expected to appear in court soon on charges of kidnapping, extortion and drug dealing.

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