'Kidnappers' send pic of 'torture victim' to his family demanding $100,000,000 - Metro.co.uk

Dillon Mancuso was allegedly abducted at gunpoint and taken to a warehouse in Sydney

This photo of a bloodied and gagged ex-motorcycle gang member was sent to his family on the night he was allegedly kidnapped in Australia. 

The gang was reportedly demanding AU$100 million (£54.6 million) for the release of Dillon Mancuso, 37, who was allegedly abducted at gunpoint and driven to a warehouse in Sydney, where he was held for six hours. 

Mancuso, a former member of the Lone Wolf gang, was photographed with duct tape covering his eyes and mouth, while blood streamed down his face and swollen lip. 

A text message accompanying the image read: ‘Hello brother’, followed by three smiley-face emojis. 

It goes on to say: ‘Send to his friends who value his life and will negotiate’, the Daily Telegraph reported

But the extortion plot failed when armed police stormed the building as it was allegedly set on fire by the gang, before Mancuso was rescued wearing nothing but his white underwear.

According to police, a group of men, one of them armed with a gun, had forced their way into a property in Bringelly at around 3am on Tuesday and dragged Mancuso into a waiting vehicle outside. 

A picture of Mancuso was sent along with the message ‘Hello brother’ and three smiley-face emojis

They were tracked by expert investigators to an industrial warehouse some 28km away in Revesby, where hostage negotiations took place. 

He was freed after police stormed the building while the gang allegedly set fire to the warehouse as they entered. 

A nearby office worker told Daily Mail Australia: ‘I looked out the window and three cop cars were blocking the driveway and calling for the people in the unit to come out.

‘We sort of saw it coming. Those guys had been rolling around for a few months bringing in motorbikes and exotic cars and making a lot of noise.’

Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis said: ‘At this stage it appears there are some organised crime and bikie-related links’. 

Armed police stormed the warehouse as the gang set it on fire

He added: ‘The level of violence towards the alleged victim was quite severe and concerning. We believe it was completely targeted.

‘The incident was exceptionally dangerous and could have been even more severe, or even fatal.’ 

Seven males – two 23-year-olds and the others aged 16, 19, 22, 26 and 27 were later charged with kidnapping with intent to ransom resulting in actual bodily harm, break and enter, tampering with evidence, and participating in a gang.

Mancuso is facing several gang-related charges after Federal Police seized more than $1million (£547,000) cash and three luxury cars valued at more than $100,000 (£55,000) each last year.

Inquiries into the incident are continuing.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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2021-06-04 20:29:00Z
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