Cape Town Gang Boss Kidnapped by Colombian Drug Cartel

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A Cape Town gang leader, Peter Jaggers, has been kidnapped by a Colombian drug cartel, with a R50 million ransom demanded for his return.

A Colombian drug cartel has allegedly kidnapped a purported Cape Town gang leader, Peter Jaggers, and is demanding a R50 million ransom for his release. This information comes from an internal police report.

Peter Jaggers, 43, was reportedly abducted while he was in Gauteng. The connection between Jaggers and six fishermen who went missing at sea after their vessel supposedly ran out of fuel during Easter earlier this year is currently under investigation.

Peter-Jaggers

Jaggers traveled to Johannesburg on 3 July, with the abduction believed to have occurred at the Emperors Palace Hotel in Gauteng. Following the kidnapping, the abductors allegedly sent a voice note and a photograph of Jaggers to his wife, demanding the return of their “stuff.”

A kidnapping case was filed at the Bishop Lavis Police Station on 5 July. According to the police report, Jaggers’ wife stated that he left their home on 30 June and boarded a plane to Gauteng from Cape Town International Airport on 3 July.

“He was apparently picked up by the foreigners from Bulgaria/Serbia. He never came back home according to his wife.”

A voice note circulating on social media, allegedly sent to Jaggers’ family, features a man with a foreign accent saying:

“Hey we no play, we no play. Your husband is on his way to South America, you guys have 24 hours to return the stuff, or we will come after your families you know, we are not playing. Colombia, Colombia (he then speaks in Spanish). We cartel, we do not forgive you, hey don’t forget, time is running, you got 24 hours to give me my stuff back.”

Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, confirmed the kidnapping case but did not provide further details.

“We can confirm that a case of kidnapping was registered at Bishop Lavis SAPS on Friday 05 July 2024 for further investigation. The docket will be transferred to the SAPS office where the incident occurred.”

In March, the vessel “The Berta Fishing Experience” gained attention when six fishermen from Hout Bay, Netreg, Kuils River, and Hawston went missing at sea for several hours after the vessel ran out of fuel. They were eventually rescued. Among the group was a relative of Jaggers.

At the time, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi mentioned that an inquiry docket had been opened but did not address questions about underworld connections.

Willem Els of the Institute for Security Studies noted that this kidnapping method is typical for international cartels, which have been increasingly active in the Western Cape and broader Africa.

Els referenced a 2021 incident where a vessel at Saldanha Harbour was found with R58 million worth of cocaine. Three Bulgarian men were sentenced to 60 years in prison.

“We became a hub for the international cartels and they make use of the South African partners, that helps them. And what happens is that we can assume in this case, it was a deal gone bad. If you look at Mexico and Colombia, that is exactly how these cartels operate. If you short-change them or if they suspect that you are not honest with them, they will do that.”

As the investigation continues, the focus remains on locating Peter Jaggers and understanding the full extent of his involvement with the international drug cartel.

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