A group of accused kidnappers allegedly demanded a $5million ransom from a high-flying crypto trader while holding a man hostage – and ripping out his teeth.
Peter Vuong, 26, was rescued by dozens of heavily armed NSW Police tactical officers at a rundown home on Canterbury Road in Belmore, in Sydney’s south-west, at about 6pm on Tuesday night after allegedly being held captive for five days.
Police will allege six men ambushed Mr Vuong at a home in Smithfield, in the city’s west, at about 5.20am on Thursday, wearing face-coverings while armed with sledgehammers and firearms over a drug deal gone wrong with one of his relatives.
He was then allegedly tied up, taken to the house, where his face was covered for six days and his teeth ‘forcibly removed’ by members of the group, who were arrested during the Belmore raid.
Court documents obtained by Daily Mail Australia reveal police will allege some of the men were also violent to one of the occupants of the Smithfield house, Timothy Bowyer, during the initial kidnapping.
Police will also allege the group demanded another man, who trades crypto currency and works as a property investor, for the sum of $5million.
Police will allege Tim Bowyer (pictured) was injured during the Smithfield kidnapping
Mr Vuong was allegedly kidnapped from the Bowyers’ home in Smithfield (pictured) five days ago
The men allegedly sent the crypto trader a series of texts on an encrypted device threatening to kill Mr Voung if their demands were not met.
‘We set price to $5million.. If you can’t meet our requirements we cut your boy up bit by bit until you give us what we want,’ the alleged texts said.
‘Want his body in pieces? Get the $5million ready.
‘You have 24 hours to cough up something nice. We waiting, times ticking.’
Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal the Smithfield house belongs to Mr Bowyer’s parents and the man asked to pay the ransom is a relative.
Police are investigating whether Mr Vuong, who has no criminal history except for minor historic traffic offences, was the intended target of the alleged attack.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that Mr Vuong, the Bowyers or their crypto trader relative are involved in any crime or the alleged botched drug deal.
The accused kidnappers allegedly sent texts demanding a $5million ransom be paid
Residents say lights and cameras were only recently installed at the Smithfield property
Residents who live near the Smithfield home told Daily Mail Australia the Bowyers had erected security cameras at the front of the premises on Wednesday – just hours before the alleged attack.
Neighbours said they had also noticed spotlights had been set up in recent weeks around the home’s perimeter.
Mr Vuong was located inside the Belmore home after a police operation spanning several days. He was assessed by paramedics at the scene before being transported to hospital in a stable condition.
In footage of the arrests obtained by Daily Mail Australia, a silver car is seen pulling up outside a house in Chelmsford Avenue – just metres away from the Belmore property – where a group of officers ambushes it.
As the driver stepped out of the vehicle, a fleet of undercover police cars screeched to a halt around them, with officers jumping out and demanding the men get out.
Officers later searched two men from the vehicle before they were arrested and marched into waiting police vans to be driven away.
Four men were arrested at the Canterbury Road property, and a further two were nabbed by officers a few streets away.
The man was held against his will in the Belmore home (pictured) and allegedly tortured for five days before he was finally rescued by police just after 6pm on Tuesday night
Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi (pictured) said six men had been charged with ‘very serious violent offences’ during a press conference on Wednesday
In footage obtained by Daily Mail Australia, a silver car is seen pulling up outside a house in Chelmsford Avenue where it is ambushed by a throng of officers
All six have been charged, with police alleging the group abducted and then physically abused Mr Vuong who was detained against his will for ransom
Viliami Siasau, 19, Valali Tonga, 20, Sunia Siasau, 20, and John Totau Fahamokioa, 20, faced Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday, while Lolo Liavaa, 19 and Kitueau Tatafu, 21 appeared in Parramatta Local Court.
Bail was refused for Siasau, Tonga, Saisau, Kitueau and Tatafu.
Fahamokioa was granted bail under strict conditions, including surrendering his passport, not to enter Smithfield, not contact any of the co-accused men, and not go near an international airport or any other point of departure from Australia.
All men are due to next face court on May 10.
Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said the six men had been charged with ‘very serious violent offences’ during a press conference on Wednesday.
‘We will allege these men are part of a criminal enterprise in an effort to export a large sum of money from this man and this man’s associates,’ he said.
Supt Doueihi said police will allege the men repeatedly assaulted and tortured the man for six days, adding the level of violence was ‘extreme’.
‘Firearms were used, sledgehammers were used, the male was tortured, he had his teeth physically removed by these people, it’s a very high level of violence,’ he said.
The superintendent said police were still investigating why the man in particular had been chosen by the group as their hostage victim.
Police will allege in court the group abducted and then physically abused a 26-year-old man who they detained against his will for ransom (pictured is the taped-off scene at Belmore)
A neighbour said he had not seen anyone coming or going from the house (pictured) where the alleged kidnapping took place for almost a year
The alleged kidnapping house (pictured from the rear) is overgrown with grass and weeds, with a skip bin full of rubbish in the backyard
Neighbours said they heard what sounded like a fight in the street and ran outside to find the area swarming with police.
‘There were people lying on the ground,’ one neighbour told Daily Mail Australia outside the home on Wednesday. ‘We thought they were dead!’
The alleged kidnapping house is overgrown with grass and weeds, with a skip bin full of rubbish in the backyard.
Despite the derelict state of the property, it appears to be well protected with security cameras at the front and rear entrance.
A neighbour said he had not seen anyone coming or going from the house where the alleged kidnapping took place for almost a year.
‘There were residents living there about a year ago. They had cars always parked in the street,’ he said.
‘Then I think new people moved in because they parked their cars in the driveway and they’ve been there ever since.
‘But I haven’t seen them.’
Despite the derelict state of the property, it appears to be well protected with security cameras at the front and rear entrance (pictured)
Security cameras were positioned at the front and rear of the Canterbury road property
Detectives were seen canvassing the area in Belmore, southwest Sydney, on Wednesday
Neighbours said they heard what sounded like a fight in the street and ran outside to find the area swarming with police (pictured outside the Belmore home on Tuesday)
Heavily armed tactical officers were seen outside the Canterbury Road home on Tuesday night
NSW Police and tactical officers were armed with grenades and an armoured truck on Tuesday
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