Violent kidnappings spark police probe as victims lose fingers, toes and teeth

Toes, teeth and fingers are being removed by gangs as a new wave of violent kidnappings emerges across Sydney.

A woman was blindfolded, had the tips of her fingers and toes amputated and was left tied to a tree in one of six horrific Sydney kidnappings, which are becoming the brutality of choice for feuding gangsters.

Police have released details of six alleged kidnappings including a female who was blindfolded, had the tips of her fingers and toes amputated, then driven hundreds of kilometres out of Sydney and left tied to a tree.

Five out of the six victims had fingers and toes removed or mutilated with graphic photos sent back to family or associates with ransom demands often asking for millions of dollars.

Four of the abductions were kept secret until after the hostages were safe and raids carried out by police led to the arrest of 10 people. More arrests are expected.

“There is definitely an escalation in the violence being used against the hostages in these recent kidnappings. It is unprecedented with the amputation of fingers, toes and removal of teeth,’’ said the head of NSW Robbery and Serious Crime Unit, Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi.

NSW Robbery and Serious Crime Unit Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi. Picture: Joel Carrett

“In the recent kidnappings the victims are associated or have links with organised crime groups. Hanging around criminals or being their friends can make you a target, even if you are just on the fringes.

“The average person does not have to worry about being kidnapped,’’ he said.

Three of the abductions, including the 21-year-old woman, are believed to be as a result of a crime syndicate trying to recover 65kg of cocaine.

The woman was held for over 30 hours before being driven to Karuah, on the mid north coast, tied to a tree and left in agony with her injuries.

One of two men charged over the alleged kidnapping of a man and a woman at Fairfield earlier this year. Picture: NSW Police

She freed herself and went to a nearby farmhouse to get help.

In a related kidnapping a 34-year-old man had acid thrown in his face, two little fingers and a toe removed before he was released.

Around the same time 26-year-old man arrived at hospital claiming his little finger had been lost in a motorbike accident, and would not co-operate with police.

In an unrelated abduction in January, a 26-year-old man and 24-year-old woman were lured to a carpark at the rear of a business in Fairfield when two men, described as extremely large and thought to be wearing facial coverings, forced them into a SUV type van.

They were then driven to a residence at Swan Bay on the north coast and tied to chairs where they were bashed, tortured and garden shears used in an attempt to amputate one of the man‘s fingers.

A wave of violent kidnappings have emerged across Sydney.

“It was quite a brazen abduction we will allege was carried out in the middle of the day … and you can see the fear on the faces of the victims eyes,” Det Supt Doueihi said.

“There were demands made to their family for large sums of money. We allege the motive was the hostages had large crypto funds, and to extort them. But they didn't have any such funds. At one time the man did but when the crypto market collapsed recently he lost all his money.

“Whoever is organising this is acting on old inaccurate information,’’ he said.

The pair managed to escape and walked six kilometres to drug rehabilitation centre to get help. Both were hospitalised and a metal plate was needed to be used to reattach the man’s finger.

The two men have been charged after allegedly grabbing the couple and forcing them into a vehicle.Picture: NSW Police

The female sustained facial injuries, lacerations and punches to the hand and legs.

Search warrants executed around Sydney on April 4 resulted in the arrest of two men, aged, 24 and 25, who were charged with two counts of take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasion actual bodily harm, and one count each of be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.

Even after they were released, police allege the older man threw a molotov cocktail at a premises in Bossley Park in an attempt to further intimidate the victims into handing over money.

Both men were refused bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court earlier this month, where they were formally bail refused to reappear before Parramatta Local Court on May 1.

Last month, a 26-year-old had three of this teeth pulled out and was held for six days during an abduction where police worked around the clock to rescue him from a home in Belmore where he was being held.

“It is (kidnappings) probably one of the most live investigations a police officer can ever be involved in. One wrong decision can cost the life of a hostage. Our priority is the recovery of the hostage, everything else comes second, from getting evidence to arresting the offenders,’’ Det Supt Doueihi said.

“We see kidnappings in the organised crime world quite frequently, generally speaking they are not reported to police until after hostages are recovered and the ransom is paid. People in that world do not like involving the police, because generally the hostage is a major player in the criminal world.

“”We work with all the other squads and will use the resources of the Tactical Operations Unit and the Raptor Squad when necessary,’’ he said.