SEPANG, Aug 12 — The police are on the hunt for four locals who are suspected to be involved in the kidnapping of a Chinese national and a local woman near the Lebuharaya Maju Toll Plaza in Cyberjaya on July 11.

Selangor Police Chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said those who were being hunted were three men and a woman to help complete the investigation of the case.

"After almost finishing this case, we believe that there are 18 people involved in which four were shot dead, 10 have been arrested and remanded until Aug 14 and four are still at large.

"All these people have past criminal records. Pictures and details will be distributed to the media in the near future," he said at a press conference here today.

Hussein said police believe 18 people were involved in the case with each playing a role including planning, kidnapping, collecting ransom and taking care of the two victims until they were released.

"Among those involved is the driver of the victim who is one of the planners of this kidnapping case and the motive of the kidnapping is to get money," he said, adding that all the individuals involved are believed to have equally divided the ransom money in the form of cryptocurrency amounting to US$1.2 million (RM5.3 million).

Commenting further, Hussein said police managed to find cash amounting to RM1.65 million and confiscated various items including vehicles worth RM3.1 million.

He said that among the confiscated items were six luxury watches of various brands, a chain with a gold pendant, two Toyota Alphard and a Mitsubishi Triton four-wheel drive.

On Aug 2, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department Director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain had reportedly said police shot dead four individuals during a shootout incident in Skudai, Johor and arrested four individuals, including a woman, aged between 25 and 43. around the Johor district, on the same day.

Mohd Shuhaily was also reported to have said that the two victims were released on the evening of July 15 by the roadside of Jalan Pedas-Linggi Negeri Sembilan after the younger brother paid the ransom in the form of cryptocurrency to the group.— Bernama