Police: Two youths were kidnapped for ransom

JOHOR BARU: Money was the main motivation behind a group of 13 individuals which allegedly kidnapped two youths in Skudai and Kluang, police said.

“The two victims knew their kidnappers,” Johor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Kamaluddin Kassim said yesterday.

On July 18, police received a report from a family who said they had received a ransom demand after their 18-year-old son was abducted in Skudai.

A month later on Aug 19, police received another report from a man in Paloh, Kluang, who said his 18-year-old son had also been kidnapped.

Police later arrested 13 individuals, including one who had escaped to Singapore, in connection with the kidnapping.

One of the victims, who was locked up in a house in Pagoh, was rescued on Tuesday in one of the raids.

After interrogating the suspects, police recovered burnt skeletal remains at a dumpsite in Pagoh, and a DNA test is being carried out to determine if the remains belonged to the other victim.

SAC Kamaluddin said the suspects had demanded RM120,000 from each family.

The families had appealed for the ransom to be lowered, but police refused to reveal if any money was paid.

The suspects, aged between 19 and 39, are being remanded until Sept 1 for investigations under Section 3 of the Kidnap Act 1961 and Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.