Nine suspects, including an SAPS officer aged 41, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping a Portuguese businessman.
The businessman was kidnapped outside his business premises in Bramley, north of Joburg on Monday night, but was rescued and reunited with his family.
The 53-year-old was found safe and unharmed by the SAPS National Anti-Kidnapping Task Team at a house in Kempton Park on Tuesday afternoon.
The Anti-Kidnapping Task Team pounced on the address where the businessman had been kept in Ekurhuleni and arrested four men and a woman.
They are expected to appear in court soon.
At another identified address in Hillbrow, two women and a man were also arrested.
The police officer was arrested at his place of work.
According to police, the syndicate is alleged to be involved in at least five kidnapping cases where Portuguese businessmen were targeted.
They would demand ransom payments from the victims’ families.
Police confirmed that no ransom payment was made to rescue the victim.
The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola said while the organisation was disappointed by the arrest of one of its own, it was pleasing to note that the organisation was ridding itself of corrupt elements.
“No member of the SAPS is above the law, irrespective of their rank. Police officers who are found on the wrong side of the law are dealt with accordingly. We will continue to root out rogue police officers from within our ranks,” said Masemola.
The task team has from April to date arrested 70 suspects in Gauteng alone for being linked to kidnapping cases where ransom demands were made.
According to recent crime statistics, 3 481 kidnappings were reported nationally between April and June, with Gauteng accounting for 1 931 of the cases.
“GOOD calls on the Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela to urgently address the kidnapping crisis facing the province,” said Matthew Cook, the party’s Gauteng political manager.