Arrests after wild kidnapping case near Toronto involving car crash and shotgun

Police are reporting two arrests stemming from an incident in Mississauga that had all the elements of a crime action blockbuster: an intentional car crash, a shotgun, a kidnapped victim brought to a sketchy warehouse and even a daring escape.

Investigators from Peel Police's 11 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau reported on Monday the arrest of two Brantford men charged with kidnapping and weapon offences.

The arrests stem from a bizarre August 23, 2022 incident where a victim was violently kidnapped while driving in the Dixie Road and Dundas area of Mississauga.

The victim was alleged to have been intentionally rear-ended by the accused in what appears to have been a feigned car accident to get them out of their vehicle.

When the victim exited his vehicle to exchange insurance information, the suspects reportedly brandished a firearm and forced the victim into their vehicle. He is then claimed to have been transported to a warehouse in the area of Eglinton Avenue and Ridgeway Drive, where police allege he was assaulted by his captors.

Luckily, the victim managed to escape the sketchy warehouse and make his way to 11 Division Peel Police to report the kidnapping, before seeking medical attention at a local hospital for what police describe as "non-life-threatening injuries."

After an extensive investigation into the incident lasting approximately 14 months, police arrested two men on Sunday, November 5, 2023.

Raza-Syed Jafri, a 24-year-old man from Brantford, was arrested and charged with kidnapping with a firearm to hold for ransom and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

During the arrest, investigators recovered a 12-gauge shotgun, which resulted in a second arrest and further charges.

Photo of the shotgun allegedly recovered during the arrest. Photo via Peel Police.

Aziz Syed, 32, of Brantford, was arrested and charged with careless storage of a firearm and knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm.

While police did not specifically call the crime targeted, investigators have stated that "this incident is believed to be isolated and there is no risk to public safety."