Son Dai Van Le: Third man charged over kidnapping man, woman from Fairfield carpark

A third man charged in relation to a horror kidnapping which saw a man and woman allegedly forced into a vehicle at Fairfield, before escaping two days later and 200km away, has been mentioned in court.

A man charged in relation to a horror kidnapping which resulted in a man’s finger being severed and he and a woman were allegedly forced into a vehicle at Fairfield, before escaping two days, has been mentioned in court.

Son Dai Van Le, 25, was arrested at a Silverwater correctional centre on Monday following extensive inquiries.

He was charged with two counts of being an accessory before the fact to take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasion actual bodily harm, concealing serious indictable offence and participate in a criminal group. Court documents state the alleged victims were Steven and Meghan Tran, who were kidnapped between 6am on January 17 and 6pm on January 18 at Smithfield.

Le was the third person charged in relation to the incident, following the arrest of Esala Baka and Sakeasi Ilimotama in April.

Both Baka and Ilimotama have been refused bail on charges of two counts of detain in company to ransom occasion, drive conveyance without consent of owner and participating in a criminal group. Baka is also charged with damage property by fire.

The pair will return to Parramatta Local Court on August 10.

The Trans were walking towards a carpark on Court Rd, Fairfield just before midnight on January 18 when two men, wearing balaclavas, allegedly grabbed the pair and forced them into a car about 11.40am on January 18, 2023.

The vehicle then left the carpark and was last seen travelling along The Horsley Drive.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad were notified and launched an investigation under Strike Force Bultje.

One of two men arrested in April in relation to the kidnapping Picture: NSW Police.

The Trans allegedly escaped at a location in Swan Bay, near Raymond Terrace, on January 20 just after midnight before one called a family member who contacted police.

It is alleged while at the location, the pair were bashed and tortured. CCTV footage captures the moments the pair walked into a rehabilitation facility to plead for help.

One of two men arrested in April in relation to the kidnapping Picture: NSW Police.

CCTV footage from a nearby property shows the man and woman talking to one of the residents at a cabin at the facility, who hands the woman his phone to call a family member, who in turn contacts police. It also shows the resident and another person with a flashlight, leading the pair away from the cabin.

The owner of the footage said the woman had blood on her and the man had his hand wrapped in a T-shirt as they approached the resident.

In April, two men were arrested and charged in relation to the kidnapping and remain before the courts.

CCTV Footage (Screenshots) of a man and woman who pleaded for help at the Fisherman's Village men's rehabilitation facility at Swan Bay on January 20, 2023, after they escaped from two harrowing days being held captive. Supplied

Police will allege in court the man and woman were taken to a location at Swan Bay where they were held against their will.

In April, Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said police will allege the victims of alleged recent kidnappings are associated with members of organised criminal syndicates.

“[There’s] a high level of violence and brutality that’s been used in these recent kidnappings, but I can indicate that on every occasion these matters are targeted, the victims and hostages that are abducted are targeted, intended victims,” he said.

“We will allege that those two hostages were abducted for that purpose, the organisers of that (alleged) offence were under the belief that these two hostages had large sums of cryptocurrency but in fact, that was inaccurate and incorrect.”

Le was represented by Ms Calablia and did not appear by videolink when the charges were briefly mentioned before Magistrate Stuart Devine. He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

His matter was adjourned for mention on August 17 at Parramatta Local Court.

Investigations under Strike Force Bultje continue.