KARACHI: The counter-terrorism department on Wednesday claimed to have busted a gang involved in the recent cases of ‘short-term’ kidnapping for ransom in Karachi.

CTD DSP Raja Umer Khattab said the gang used a Vigo, a four-wheel drive vehicle, and introduced themselves as “officials of law enforcement agencies” to their prey.

The CTD received an intelligence report on April 22 that six to seven suspects were involved in the short-term kidnappings in the city, according to a CTD press release. They used a black Vigo double cabin and carried arms, walkie-talkies, handcuffs and hid their faces by using masks, the statement added.

“The kidnappers took citizens to Steel Town by posing as officials of the Federal Investigation Agency, the CTD and intelligence agencies and used to release them after taking ransom.”

Acting on a tip-off, a CTD team carried out an intelligence-based operation near Parking Plaza in Saddar and arrested four suspects — Imtiaz alias Salman, Ubaid Rehman alias Abi, Shahid alias Moosa and Saleem — and recovered snatched cell phones, three pistols, walkie-talkies, handcuffs and black colour Vigo with fake government number plate from their possession.

During interrogation, the held suspects revealed that they kidnapped a citizen, Mohammed Ismail, in PIB Colony on April 13, and took him to a warehouse in Steel Town.

They asked him about Bitcoin business and threatened him that he was involved in illegal work of Hundi/Hawala.

Thereafter, they took his iPhone and asked him that they would contact him about money later on. They dropped him on Sharea Faisal near a stop.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2025