Four men have been extradited after travelling interstate and allegedly holding two people hostage for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Police say a group of seven men linked to organised crime travelled from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast in April to surveil a 27-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman.
The group and the 27-year-old man were known to each other, according to police.
“It will be alleged that they were in a business operation, and that crime group believed that a debt (was) owed to them by this male person,” Detective Inspector Chris Toohey told reporters on Monday.
The group allegedly broke into a home at Sixth Avenue, Maroochydore, on April 10 and took the man and woman to another apartment, where they were held hostage for hours.
The pair were allegedly threatened with violence if they did not pay hundreds of thousands of dollars, but were not injured.
“From our investigations, they were going to be held until they paid up the sum of money they required,” Det Insp Toohey said.
Police were alerted to the incident when concerned friends and family members reported the man and woman missing.
When specialist police arrived, five men fled the scene as officers rescued the man and woman.
Two men both aged 30 were arrested at the scene and later charged with deprivation of liberty and extortion with intent to gain benefit with threat of detriment.
NSW Police’s Raptor Squad executed search warrants on Thursday morning across Sydney’s western suburbs where they arrested four men aged 27 to 32.
The four men were extradited to Queensland on Friday, charged with deprivation of liberty and extortion with intent to gain benefit with threat of detriment.
A fifth man will be extradited at a later date due to unrelated medical issues.
The four men faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.
Det Insp Toohey believes police have arrested all those responsible.
“This has been a protracted investigation with close cooperation between specialist detectives and regional police, in conjunction with New South Wales Police Force, highlighting our officers’ unwavering commitment to solving this violent crime and seeing those responsible brought to justice,” he said.
“This was a serious, vicious and premeditated alleged attack and this investigation outcome should serve as a strong warning criminal behaviour will not be tolerated.
“Our detectives have worked diligently, using every resource available to ensure we could bring this investigation to a close and ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law.”
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24 hours per day. Quote these reference numbers: QP2500618240, QP2500618089.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online.
