Kidnappers of foreign businessmen busted in major operation in Riga

A group of seven men suspected of kidnapping two foreign entrepreneurs in Riga last week have been detained in a major operation involving criminal police officers and special operations units, the Latvian State Police informed.

An investigation that was promptly launched into the kidnapping of the two businessmen, a Swedish and an Irish citizen, outside a hotel in Riga last Friday, resulted in nabbing seven suspected kidnappers on the same day.

The group of suspected criminals was busted with the help of Latvia's Omega counter-terrorism task force, the special operations battalion of the Riga regional police department and criminal police officers.

The kidnappers were held as they were transporting their hostages in cars. Officers found a policeman's uniform, an armoured vest, a stun gun and a fake police card on them.

It was established that the kidnappers had dressed up as cops and seized the two foreigners outside the hotel, handcuffing and pushing them into their cars.

The exact motive for the abduction has yet to be established, but investigators believe that the intention was to extort money.

The suspects detained in connection with the case are 26 to 56 year old men. Some of them are well known figures in Latvia's criminal circles and have been tried for similar offenses in the past. Endit