By Oyintari Ben
A Mozambican man in South Africa who is suspected of planning kidnappings for ransom has been arrested by Interpol.
Esmael Malude Ramos Nangy is suspected of planning kidnappings over the past 20 years that resulted in several million dollars in ransom payments.
He was reportedly taken into custody after a search of a posh property development in Centurion, close to the country’s capital Pretoria.
Police in Mozambique also acknowledged the weekend capture of the wanted guy.
The international police broke the initial news of the 50-year-old Mozambican citizen’s arrest. It came after a global arrest warrant that the Mozambican government had issued in July of last year.
A pistol, ammunition, five mobile phones, and bank cards were among the goods found at the house, according to a police statement from South Africa.
On Monday, he is scheduled to appear in court.
Mozambique is seeking his extradition. According to a police source in Mozambique, Mr. Nangy is a suspect in a kidnapping that happened in the country’s capital, Maputo, last year.
The majority of kidnappings for ransom take place in Mozambican big cities and towns, and the main victims have historically been Asian-American businessmen or their relatives.
The National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) of Mozambique reports that 33 people were arrested in connection with the crimes in 2022, which included 13 kidnappings.
