JOHOR BARU: Police killed two kidnappers in an exchange of fire and rescued a abducted businessman who was held for a S$10 million (RM30.54 million) ransom.
The incident took place at an oil palm estate at Lot 193, Jalan Meta, Sekakap, Mersing, this morning.
Deputy Johor police chief Datuk Shafie Ismail said the two suspects were shot dead in a joint operation involving the D9 serious crimes unit (special investigations) of the state police contingent headquarters and the D14 organised crime investigation division in Op Kesan and Op Tutup at 2am today.
He said the team, comprising rank and file police personnel, began tracking down the suspects after receiving information on the abduction of the 41-year-old businessman on Dec 17.
“The victim was kidnapped by four masked men armed with two pistols as he left his home to go to a roadside stall in Taman Gaya, Ulu Tiram,” Shafie said at the state police headquarters, here, today.
“The family lodged a police report after the suspects demanded a S$10 million ransom from them.”
Acting on the report, he said police formed a special investigative team which was aided by a special investigations team from Bukit Aman as well as the D8 investigation/planning division and a technical investigation team.
“On the sixth day, the family agreed to the demands of the kidnappers and at about 8.30pm (Monday), the special investigations team managed to track down the location of the victim who was being held in a car at an estate in Mersing.
“When the raiding party approached the car, they were fired upon by the suspects, resulting in one of the officers sustaining injuries.
“The raiding team then returned fire which saw the suspects firing back before the duo fled into the nearby oil palm brushes”.
He said police continued to track down the suspects through Op Kesan and Op Tutup in Mersing district and bordering areas with assistance from the General Operations Force’s 5th Battalion from Simpang Renggam.
“One of the raiding officers sustained gunshot wounds in three places, two of the shots hit the left leg and the right thigh, and another struck his belt buckle.
“The victim who was saved, sustained injuries on his back,” Shafie said, adding that the kidnappers had planned to kill the victim after receiving the ransom money.
He added that the raiding team stumbled on two of the kidnappers at the oil palm estate.
“Shots were exchanged between the two kidnappers and members of the raiding team, before the two suspects were shot dead.
Shafie said two semi-automatic 9mm and 45mm caliber pistols were found on the two masked suspect who were aged 39 and 52.
“The investigation and forensic teams are combing through the two incident locations,” he said adding that the injured personnel was stable after receiving treatment at a hospital here.
“They are being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code, Section 3 of the Kidnap Act 1961 and Section 3 of the Firearms Act 1971.
“Police are tracking down the other suspects involved in the abduction,” he said.