A 63-year-old businessman was saved by Johannesburg police from a kidnapping ring that was active in a suburb of the city.
During the Wednesday rescue operation in Fourways, R300-million worth of cocaine was discovered, according to Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the spokesperson for the national police.
Among the six suspects detained, according to Mathe, are three Tanzanians and a German woman.
This incident follows a string of comparable ones in which businessmen were the intended targets.
In July, Sunday Word reported that Zimbabwean and Portuguese businessmen were kidnapped in separate incidents in Johannesburg.
A Portuguese businessman, who owns a butchery, was rescued at Nancefield Hostel in Soweto.
Community involvement
According to Mathe, the victim was found during an intelligence-driven police operation, and the businessman who was being held captive at the hostel was set free by a special task force unit.
A week later, 14 suspects are said to have kidnapped a Zimbabwean businessman from outside his place of employment.
Of the 14 kidnappers, two suspects are from Mozambique, and three are Chinese.
The abducted victim was discovered safe and sound at a known address in Diepkloof, Soweto, and the perpetrators were taken into custody.
Mathe urged communities to continue to report suspicious activities in and around their neighbourhoods, saying that this is to ensure that criminals are dealt with.
Kidnappers also target students
According to General Fannie Masemola, the national commissioner of police, at least six students and 13 businessmen have been abducted since January.
Without a ransom being paid, they were all saved.
According to Masemola, since January, more than 54 kidnappers who are thought to be based in Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga, and the Free State have been apprehended.
“In the past two years, more than 200 kidnappers have been arrested, all thanks to the commitment of our dedicated teams,” said Masemola.
