Man held ransom by ex-bikie president over drug debt, police allege

A MOTHER was allegedly forced to pay a $1000 ransom after a late-night call revealed her son was being held hostage at a bikie ex-president’s home.

A MOTHER was allegedly forced to pay a $1000 ransom after a harrowing late-night call revealed her son was being held hostage at a bikie ex-president’s home.

The ordeal of a Gold Coast mechanic at the hands of former Lone Wolf gang president Christopher Taylor and his cronies was over a drug debt of between $5000 and $6000, police claim.

EX-BANDIDOS PRESIDENT AMONG ARRESTS

Taylor’s associate Kym Passmore, who was extradited from South Australia this afternoon to face charges including kidnapping for ransom, is accused of luring the victim and delivering him to the bikie leader.

Passmore then collected the ransom from the victim’s mother and returned her son after his life was threatened in a prolonged bashing, it is alleged.

Detective Inspector Brendan Smith of gang squad Maxima said the 24-year-old victim got into a car after being led to believe he was going somewhere to help pay off his debt.

Instead the victim was taken to Taylor’s house where he was bashed and his nose broken, they allege.

Det Smith said the victim had been was forced to call his mother who came up with $1000 to satisfy his captors’ immediate demands.

He said Taylor, a criminal gang ringleader who was involved in several criminal enterprises including drug dealing and car theft, orchestrated the kidnapping.

One of the drug gang continued to pepper the victim with death threats even after he had gone to police, Det Smith said.

“That’s they type of characteristics we’re dealing with — they belong in jail,” he said.

Det Smith said the victim and his mother came forward immediately after the kidnapping as “they’ve realised the seriousness”.

“They were extremely scared and terrified about the future,” he said.

“Even after the complaint was made, one of the offenders was regularly texting him and contact with him, threatening him with harm and death.”

Taylor, who was already in custody on extortion and assault charges over the incident, was also further charged with kidnapping for ransom yesterday.

Passmore, 35, a former Gold Coast man now living in South Australia, was extradited after fronting court in Adelaide yesterday.

Det Smith said the victim was “a young man (who) developed a drug habit”, buying on credit from Taylor’s crew who then abruptly called the debt in.

He said bikie gangs preyed on the vulnerabilities of the drug-dependent.

“They see they’ve got assets, they know they’ve got families, they know they’ll get the money somehow and they don’t expect them to come forward and make a complaint,” he said.

“Well that’s changing, we have people come forward on a regular basis now to help us and we’re more than glad to do so.”

Det Smith said up to 20 extortion victims had approached police since the crackdown on bikie gangs by Maxima, including some that would soon result in more arrests.

Passmore arrived in Brisbane mid-afternoon after his extradition from South Australia.

The 35-year-old was escorted from the plane by three detectives and was greeted by more police on his arrival. He was paraded through Brisbane’s domestic terminal past the public and driven off in a silver four-wheel-drive via the loading dock.

Kidnapping suspect Kym Passmore arrives at Brisbane Airport after extradition from South Australia.