Last September, the police received a tip from an anonymous person who called in and provided information about a drug bust at the Stadshotellet in Skänninge.
A reconnaissance operation was launched and was able to confirm the suspicions – and the police then decided to strike.
– The tip to the police and the police’s own observations led to the decision to enter this hotel. In connection with that, large quantities of narcotics were found. Several different types of narcotics are involved, but it concerns, among other things, larger quantities of 3-CMC (serious net drug crystal reds.anm), says Emma Högström, senior prosecutor who led the investigation.
In the preliminary investigation, it appears that there was an “elevated threat” during the operation “due to the fact that there are indications that police personnel may be exposed to serious violence”. It was therefore decided that all police officers should arm themselves with reinforcement weapons.
– I don’t want to comment on that, says Emma Högström.
In the crackdown, which took place on the night of September 16, seven people were arrested for serious drug offences.
Was stripped and locked in a vault
When the police collected evidence in the drug investigation, the case developed in several stages.
– The investigators went through surveillance footage that was at the hotel and in connection with that they found a film where you can see that a person is locked in the hotel and the film could be connected to the suspicion of kidnapping, says Emma Högström.
Between September 4 and 5, a man had been threatened with a gun by two perpetrators and forced to undress. The victim was then locked in a vault. After an hour of confinement, the kidnapped man was driven away in a car, subjected to beatings in Mjölby and left in a grove.
– There was already a report of kidnapping. But it was in connection with going through the films that there was a breakthrough in that investigation, says Emma Högström.
When the police then investigated the kidnapping, the case grew with another crime.
– Interrogations were held in the kidnapping section and then suspicions of rape arose.
The sexual offense had taken place against a 17-year-old girl at the Stadshotellet, the day before the kidnapping of the man.
Drug money: Hundreds of kroner
Earlier in March, the prosecutor filed a lawsuit in the case. A 26-year-old man, one of the seven people arrested, was charged with rape, kidnapping and serious drug offences.
– He denies the three crimes.
The suspicions against the other six, who had been arrested in September, were dismissed. But another man, also 26 years old, was charged with involvement in the kidnapping.
– His attitude to the crime is not completely clear.
The police were also able to find a total of SEK 322,000 with the main suspect, the 26-year-old. The money is seized and the prosecutor has requested that it be forfeited, which means that the state will take it over.
– I claim that this drug was mainly not intended for personal use. There is a suspicion that the narcotics were intended to be sold.
The trial against the two 26-year-olds began on Friday and is expected to last until the end of March. The prosecutor has requested that the man charged with all three crimes be deported for life.