French police arrest 12 suspects involved in planning a cryptocurrency kidnapping case

Odaily reported that the Lyon police in France have arrested 12 suspects allegedly involved in planning a cryptocurrency kidnapping case from August last year. Previously, about 150 armed police officers conducted a raid near the Valence train station in the Drôme region on August 31, 2025, rescuing a 22-year-old Swiss man who had been kidnapped for four days. The kidnappers demanded ransom payment in cryptocurrency, and the victim suffered severe abuse and injuries during captivity. Police stated that the arrests were the result of months of investigation, and around 20 individuals have been identified and implicated. On the day of the operation, one mastermind and two others were arrested, and in early September, another 7 people were detained, including 6 aged between 24 and 30, and 1 under 18. Prosecutors have charged these individuals with kidnapping, illegal detention, organized crime, extortion, illegal possession of weapons, and conspiracy. On March 2, police launched another large-scale operation, arresting 18 people, 3 of whom were detained. In addition, Versailles police are pursuing three suspects who impersonated police officers and robbed a couple at knifepoint of bitcoin worth 1 million USD. From July 2023 to the end of 2025, French police have handled a total of 40 cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases.