Several arrests Police end hostage situation in Cologne
Two people are kidnapped in Bochum and finally freed in Cologne. A hostage-taking between the Ruhr area and the Rhineland raises questions. There are indications of drug-related crime.
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- Two hostages were freed from kidnappers in a residential area in Cologne.
- The hostages were injured and received medical treatment.
- The origin of the crime lies in the area of organized drug crime.
A special police task force (SEK) has freed two hostages from kidnappers in a residential area in Cologne. Four suspects were arrested during the raid on Friday afternoon, a police spokesman said on request. The hostages were injured and received medical treatment. According to the police, live firearms were also seized.
In the course of the investigation, special units broke into six other apartments on Friday night and Saturday and arrested two men. The interrogations of those arrested and the evaluation of the evidence are still ongoing.
An act of organized drug crime
The kidnapping reportedly began on Friday morning in Bochum. The origin of the crime lies in the area of organized drug crime, said the spokesman. There had been a tip-off to Cologne, whereupon the SEK was deployed to the Rodenkirchen district. There was no danger to bystanders during the raid in the residential area.
With reference to the ongoing investigation, the police initially gave no further details about the victims, the suspected kidnappers or the background to the crime. Several media outlets had previously reported.
dpa