A 30-year-old Dutchman was kidnapped at the end of last month and then locked up in buildings in the Belgian cities of Roeselaere and Ostend. During the kidnapping, the man from Waalwijk went ‘through hell’, according to Belgian media. His captors filmed him being abused. Those images were sent to his family.
The incident took place on January 24 and 25. The Belgian police have now arrested six suspects, reports include The last news. The reason for the kidnapping is said to be a drug deal gone wrong. In a house in Roeselare, where one of the suspects lived, the suspect was tied to a chair. His captors hit him in the face with brass knuckles, among other things.
The kidnappers wanted to put pressure on the family of the Waalwijker with the video images of the abuse. They sent the video according The newspapaer to the man’s sister and to a friend. They asked them for a ransom. If they didn’t come along with money, they threatened to torture the hostage further and put a bullet in his knee.
Locked in a car
However, the Dutch did not give in and went to the police. By investigating telephone data and IP addresses, they tracked down the suspects, including some Dutch people. Thirty hours after the kidnapping, the Belgian police raided a garage in Ostend. There the Waalwijker was locked in a car. Three people in their twenties were arrested on the spot. Three other suspects were later arrested.
According to the Belgian newspapers, these are men who pose as ‘masculines’ on social media. They “adore nice cars and firearms” and are also said to use a lot of cannabis.
The police say that the Dutchman, after he was found, was transferred to the hospital to have his injuries treated. “He was never in danger, but he did show several bruises.”
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