A 33-year-old foreign national was kidnapped and assaulted for two days in Lisbon, before being released following the payment of a ransom. Two other foreign nationals, aged 35 and 43, were arrested by Portugal’s Judiciary Police (PJ) in an operation codenamed “Taka”, after the official currency of Bangladesh.
On 27 June, the victim was approached by two men in the street and, under threat and coercion, was taken to a second location..
“From that point onwards and for two days, the man was taken between different locations, kept restrained and deprived of his freedom throughout, while being repeatedly assaulted, threatened, and subjected to abuse. At the same time, a large sum of money was demanded as a ransom for his release,” the PJ said in a statement.
He was only released after the ransom demands were met. The man required medical treatment as a result of the physical abuse he had suffered.
The victim reported the incident to police, and an investigation by the National Counter-Terrorism Unit (UNCT) led to the identification and subsequent arrest of the alleged perpetrators.
The suspects are due to appear before the competent judicial authority for an initial judicial hearing, where precautionary measures will be considered.
The investigation remains ongoing under the direction of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at Lisbon’s Department of Investigation and Prosecution (DIAP).
Souce: PJ
Photo credit: Agência Lusa
