Two men have been charged after allegedly kidnapping a man and a woman in broad daylight in Western Sydney.
Key points:
- Search warrants were executed at homes in Smithfield and Cartwright in April
- The two men faced Fairfield Local Court earlier this month where they were refused bail
- One man also faces charges after a Molotov cocktail was allegedly thrown at a Bossley Park home
A 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were forced into a vehicle by two men wearing balaclavas near a car park in Fairfield about 11:40am on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, according to police.
The pair escaped from a location 25 kilometres north-east of Raymond Terrace just after midnight on Friday, and contacted a family member who notified NSW Police.
They were taken to John Hunter Hospital after the man’s finger was allegedly severed during the incident.
A strike force investigation led to search warrants at homes in Smithfield and Cartwright on April 4 this year, and two men, aged 24 and 25, were arrested.
Both men face multiple charges including two counts of take or detain in company with intent to ransom occasioning actual bodily harm.
The older man has also been charged over a separate incident after a Molotov cocktail was allegedly thrown at a Bossley Park home on January 22.
They were refused bail at Fairfield Local Court earlier this month and are next due before Parramatta Local Court on May 1.
Last month another man was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint before being tortured for six days in Sydney’s south-west.
Police say the 26-year-old man had some of his teeth “forcibly removed” at a home in Belmore by a criminal group attempting to extort money from him and his associates.
Nearly a week after he was allegedly kidnapped, tactical officers rescued the man and he was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Six men, aged 19 to 21, have since been charged.
Source: abc.net.au
