[UPDATED] Penang cops foil attempted kidnapping of Indonesians

GEORGE TOWN – Penang police, through a joint operation with their Selangor and Perak counterparts, managed to foil a kidnapping bid with a dramatic rescue of two Indonesians some 400km away in the Klang Valley after the duo were allegedly abducted while in Penang.

The incident happened eight days ago here but within the next 48 hours, police managed to rescue the victims after receiving a report from a victim’s fellow Indonesian husband.

The husband also shared information that the abductors, all Malaysians, had sought a ransom of RM540,000 for the safe return of the two foreigners.

State police chief Datuk Khaw Kok Chin told a press conference here that police had codenamed the operation Op Scorpion. 

He praised his fellow officers for their professionalism in executing the safe return of the two victims.

In the process, police detained 14 suspects as well as an assortment of equipment associated with the kidnapping including four vehicles – a Honda CRV and Honda HRV, a Mitsubishi Grandis and a Toyota Vios.

Also seized were 23 smartphones and RM4,800, as well as bank cards and clothing.

Khaw said that the 14 were remanded to be investigated under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961 where if found guilty, they can be imprisoned not exceeding 40 years and whipped. 

Khaw said that there were some mitigating factors, including that the husband of the victim is believed to have borrowed money from the kidnappers, and when he failed to return it in due time, the suspects sought to teach him a lesson.

Police obtained a lead when the husband decided to first pay RM50,750 as part of the initial ransom money with the hope that he could negotiate his wife’s freedom.

But the abductors refused to negotiate, preferring to hang on for the full sum of RM540,000.

Police then made a decision to move in to rescue the two Indonesians held hostage.

They traced the movement of the money carefully and managed to track down the location of the kidnappers, who were aged between 20 and 70 with five having prior criminal records.

The victims were moved from house to house to evade detection, until they were brought to a location in Shah Alam before a crack police commando unit swooped in to rescue them.

Khaw said that the victims suffered bruises after they were traumatised by the abductors during the ordeal.

He advised people not to resort to violence in settling monetary disputes, saying that the legal recourse is always the best option, as nobody should take the law into their own hands. – The Vibes, September 22, 2023