Damascus, Aug. 8 (SANA)Syria’sInternal Security ForcesinDamascus countrysidearrested eight members of an organized kidnapping gang accused of abducting businesspeople, traders, and owners of commercial and industrial enterprises and extorting their families for ransom, following multiple complaints and an intensive security operation.The Internal Security Forces said on Friday that they seized a cache of weapons from the suspects, including a PKC machine gun, assault rifles, pistols, hand grenades, and various types of ammunition. Authorities also confiscated a number of cars that they had purchased with the proceeds from the kidnappings.

The suspects confessed during questioning, after being confronted with evidence, to carrying out four kidnappings in cooperation with accomplices who remain at large. The victims included owners of commercial and industrial companies, the statement said.

The suspects also admitted receiving more than $135,000 in ransom payments and said they had recently demanded $100,000 from the family of another kidnapping victim in exchange for his release.

The Internal Security Forces said legal proceedings have been initiated against those arrested, while operations continue to locate and apprehend the remaining suspects before all those involved are referred to the competent judicial authorities.