FLASH
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A fourth person has been arrested in London, suspected of belonging to a unit that acted as commandos and kidnapped the leader of an Albanian gang, as a sign of revenge for the theft of a quantity of drugs worth several million pounds.
Latvian citizen Ainis Balodis, 45, was one of four men detained in an international operation led by German police earlier this month.
The group, some of whom are former French Foreign Legion soldiers, is said to be highly trained and equipped with professional equipment.
They were allegedly hired by an organized crime group to kidnap the leader of a rival drug trafficking gang.
The group's target was an Albanian crime boss, who is suspected of orchestrating the theft of tons of cannabis worth millions of euros.
Balodis, who flew to the UK on October 31, is fighting extradition to Germany, where he is wanted on charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping between August and October last year.
Westminster Magistrates' Court heard he was arrested at a six-bedroom property where he is believed to have worked as a security guard.
Balodis has been remanded in custody ahead of a full extradition hearing next year.
German police said the investigation began in October last year after two Latvian nationals were found with professional surveillance equipment and weapons during a vehicle stop in the town of Herne, in western Germany.
They have already been convicted and given prison sentences, according to police.
Investigators also arrested a gang of Albanian suspects after discovering more than 6,000 cannabis plants from three large cannabis plantations.
Four people were arrested in Denmark, France, Latvia and the United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 12, in the German-led investigation.
Europol said the operation is linked to the growing trend of "violence as a service", where highly trained specialists, often former members of special forces, are employed by organised crime groups.
"Some of the suspects in this case are former soldiers of the French Foreign Legion," Europol said.
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