Three Toronto men are facing charges in relation to an armed kidnapping last month in Vaughan.
Shortly after 2 a.m. Aug. 27, York Regional Police responded to a report of an abduction at a restaurant on McCleary Court. Investigators were told several suspects armed with guns had forced a man into a vehicle and drove away. One suspect fired a shot into the air.
The suspects then sent a ransom demand to someone known to the victim, who was released a few hours later. The victim returned to the restaurant and spoke with police, who believe the suspects abducted the wrong person and released him upon realizing it.
The 37-year-old victim suffered minor physical injuries.
On Tuesday, search warrants were executed at the suspects’ residences in Toronto. They were not home at the time, and police learned they were in Cancun, Mexico, and were expected to return soon.
Warrants for their arrest were issued. The Canada Border Services Agency was notified and, on Wednesday, the suspects were arrested at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Charged are Muktar Mohamed, 25, Musse Musse, 26, and Omar Ayah, 22. Charges include kidnapping with a firearm, conspiracy to commit and indictable offence, possession of a loaded prohibited/restricted firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited/restricted firearm, use of a firearm in the commission of an indictable offence, reckless discharge of a firearm (Musse only) and possession for the purpose of trafficking (Mohamed only).
