Durban - A businessman who was kidnapped and kept in chains for 22 days in a house on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast by an international gang demanding R1 million, was rescued by police on Tuesday morning.
Seven suspects were arrested after raids by the National Intervention Unit, Magma Security Investigations and Himeville Police at a flat in Sol Harris Crescent, North Beach, and a house in Shelly Beach.
Police recovered R40 000 in cash and banking details which revealed the syndicate had a substantial bank balance.
Mosein Patel, 25, an Indian national, was found chained to a bed in a rented house in Shelly Beach.
He had been tortured, starved and threatened with death, police spokesman, Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said.
Patel who arrived from Gujurat with his mother, Fatima, and three brothers, in 2007, ran a family-owned supermarket in Himeville.
His father, Mehmood, who is still in India, had a heart attack when the syndicate called him to say they had his son and wanted R1 million.
Mdunge said the syndicate – which comprised mainly Pakistani nationals – were known to kidnap victims and extort money to send to their families in Pakistan.
He said it was unclear how many cases they were linked to.
The seven are expected to appear in the Himeville Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on charges of kidnapping, theft and attempted murder.
A traumatised Patel said he was kidnapped on July 1 when two of the gang – dressed in police uniform – arrived at his shop, wanting to question him.
“They accused me of being illegally in the country. They demanded my passport and visa. They then told my family they were taking me to the station for questioning,” Patel said.
He said five minutes into the journey he was assaulted and the suspects demanded contact numbers for his family.
“They said my family needed to pay them R1 million or they would kill me. I gave them my father’s number in India.
“He told them he did not have so much money. They then demanded R500 000,” Patel said.
“My father told them he would pay them R100 000. They gave him their banking details.”
Mdunge said the family did not call the police at first.
“They paid R100 000 into the syndicate’s bank account (on the same day). But they did not release the victim. It was only then that police were alerted.”
He said a task team had worked for 22 days trying to track down Patel and the syndicate.
“With the help of Magma Security Investigations we eventually managed to bust the syndicate at 3am. The victim was found chained to a bed.”
Magma Security Investigations head, Shaheen Suleiman, said they received information about Patel’s whereabouts late last night.
Investigations led them to Camperdown, North Beach and Shelly Beach.
They arrested two suspects there and the rest in Shelly Beach.
“We are still looking at the possibility that there could be more syndicate members on the run.”
He said Patel was in “bad shape” and would require counselling.
“His family are relieved to have him back in one piece. But it was 22 days of hell for him. He was chained for the entire duration.”
Mdunge said they believed the gang was huge.
He said a year ago, a similar situation played out when an uMhlanga businessman was kidnapped.
“The gang that took him also demanded R1 million.
“Fortunately his family tipped us off immediately and we were able to find him (in Margate) within a day or two.”
“It appears that in Patel’s case it could be the same gang. The way the events played out is almost identical. This makes us believe that this is a huge syndicate operating in KwaZulu-Natal.”
Mdunge was full of praise for Constable Mike Gumede and Lieutenant Petros Mchunu, the investigators in Patel’s case.
“They are young policemen. They worked around the clock to crack this case. We are very proud of their efforts.
Daily News