SHARJAH // Officers who stormed a house in Ajman overpowered a murderous gang and freed four beaten and starving kidnap victims tied up inside, police said yesterday. The eighteen Indians and an Emirati who were arrested were involved in crimes including the killing of rivals, the trading of illegal alcohol, robbery and impersonating officers, Sharjah Police said.
The gang's main line of business was the illegal distribution of alcohol in Ajman and the industrial area of Sajja, said Brig Yousef al Naqbi, the head of Sharjah CID. Brig al Naqbi could not say how many people had been killed by the gang, but investigations had linked them to several deaths recently, he added. While most of the gang's activities focused on Sharjah, its members lived in bordering Ajman.
Once the house was identified, officers from Sharjah and Ajman forced their way in. The gang resisted, but were overpowered, said Brig al Naqbi. Four Indians were found inside, tied up with ropes and showing signs of severe beatings and starvation. They had been kidnapped from Sajja on the orders of an Emirati identified as HAM, police said. "Besides the kidnapped Indians, we also found a wide range of knives, swords and traces of blood all over the house, alcohol and cash of Dh218,000 [US$59,000]," said Brig al Naqbi.
He described the gang as well organised and led by RSS, who ruled like an army commander. RSS was not in the house at the time of the raid, but was arrested elsewhere. He told police about HAM, who also was arrested. RSS had confessed and been referred to Sharjah Public Prosecution, said Brig al Naqbi. ykakande@thenational.ae