Koblenz: Four men convicted of brutal kidnapping!

Koblenz: Four men convicted of brutal kidnapping!

Four men who had to answer for extortionate kidnapping were recently convicted at the Koblenz regional court. According to the Rhine newspaper The charges ranged from kidnapping to severe abuse. The perpetrators, all between 20 and 22 years old, kidnapped a 19-year-old in Neuwied in order to extort information about a drug stash from him.

The trial revealed the brutal actions of the defendants, who acted in concert. The aim was to enforce their demands through extreme violence against the victim. Seeing such blatant methods in everyday life feels like something out of a thriller; But the reality in Neuwied is not long in coming.

Parallel process in Koblenz

In another trial, which took place at the same time before the Koblenz regional court, five men were accused of kidnapping a man in Betzdorf. Again SWR reported, the crime was committed in September and was just as brutal as the one in Neuwied. The defendants, who are between 23 and 27 years old, are said to have used violence and threats to demand a ransom from the victim's brothers.

An argument at the train station in Betzdorf led to the perpetrators forcing their victim to get into a car with a knife. During the journey to Kassel, the victim was seriously injured and then held prisoner in a cellar. The threat to mutilate the victim was apparently intended to persuade the brothers to initially pay a ransom of 10,000 euros and later 25,000 euros.

The police discovered the suspected kidnappers and were able to arrest them while they were handing over money. Fortunately, this intention was disrupted and no real ransom was handed over.

Brutality in everyday life

The brutal methods used in these two cases cast a dark light on the current security situation in the region. It is becoming increasingly clear that the inhibition threshold with which such violent acts are committed is decreasing. The investigative authorities are continuing to investigate whether there is a connection between the crimes and the drug environment.

As a result of the proceedings, both groups of defendants now have to expect severe penalties. It remains to be hoped that such incidents can be avoided in the future and that a clear message is sent: violence is not a means to achieve goals. The investigations and the ongoing trials show that the judiciary is called upon to set an example and protect the population.