Three men dressed in black, with their faces partially concealed, kidnapped a man on 19 March 2025 in Siete Palmas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. They assaulted him, forced him into a van, restrained him, and covered his mouth with duct tape. During the ordeal, they threatened him with a gun and drove him to another area of the island.
This marked the beginning of a kidnapping that has led to the arrest of five individuals by the National Police as part of Operation Brida, conducted by the Specialized and Violent Crime Unit (UDEV) of the Canary Islands police.
During the victim’s transport, the kidnappers switched vehicles before releasing him in Telde. Before letting him go, however, they stole his mobile phone and the keys to a high-end car.
The investigation allowed police to trace the first van used in the abduction, which was found parked in Las Palmas. Inside, officers discovered various items linked to the crime and verified that the vehicle bore a false registration plate belonging to a similar van.
A significant breakthrough came from another vehicle: the victim’s own car. Police found a GPS device installed underneath it, which had likely been used to track his movements.
Following extensive investigations, officers identified five suspects in connection with the kidnapping and arrested them on charges of unlawful detention.
After completion of the police procedures, the detainees were presented to the judicial authorities. A judge has ordered one of them to be remanded in custody.
