Armed and Violent Crime Squad detectives have extradited a man from Victoria for his alleged role in the 2024 kidnapping and sexual assault of a woman.
About 6.45pm on Saturday 20 April 2024, officers attached to Ryde Police Area Command were called to Epping following reports a woman had been kidnapped.
Police arrived and were told a woman had allegedly been forced into a Toyota Camry by a group of unknown men, before the vehicle left the scene.
Officers established a crime scene and detectives established Strike Force Held to investigate the incident.
About 1pm on Sunday 21 April 2024, detectives located the 36-year-old woman at a different address in Sydney’s west, where she told police she had been allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted.
Strike force detectives immediately took the woman to hospital for treatment.
Detectives have previously charged two men – aged 29 and 37 – and both matters have been dealt with by the courts.
As part of ongoing investigations, a 31-year-old man was arrested in Victoria yesterday (Friday 20 October 2026) and appeared before Melbourne’s Magistrate Court, where extradition to NSW was granted.
He was escorted to Sydney and taken to Mascot Police Station where an outstanding warrant was executed and he was charged with take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasioning actual bodily harm, aggravated sexual assault in company and deprive liberty, and use intoxicating substance to commit indictable offence.
The man was refused bail to appear at Bail Division – Court 7 today (Saturday 31 October 2026).
Investigations under Strike Force Held continue.
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
