Sydney men kidnapped for ransom, four arrests made

Two young men were reportedly held hostage in Sydney for two days over a debt. Their alleged kidnappers demanded nearly $500,000 for the release of one of the men. New South Wales (NSW) Police arrested four men in connection with this case. The suspects are Wenqiang Zeng, 23, David Wildsmith, 37, Lun Weng, 28, and Liannan Zheng, 29. The investigation began last November when one of the victims, a 24-year-old man, contacted his father in Taiwan. He expressed that he was being held against his will and his captors wanted a ransom to release him. Police quickly learned that another man, aged 26, was also being held. They formed Strike Force Brackley to investigate the case. The exact nature of the debt and whether the victims knew each other remains unclear. Authorities acted swiftly. They raided an Ermington property on November 12, the day after receiving the information from Taiwanese officials. There, they located both hostages and arrested Zeng, who was charged with serious kidnapping offences. Wildsmith was arrested a month later outside an office in Surry Hills. He faces multiple charges, including those related to using an unauthorized firearm. In the following months, police apprehended the remaining suspects, Weng and Zheng, during targeted operations. All four men are currently facing serious charges and have been denied bail. The investigation continues.