Police have managed to free a kidnapped Belgian who was being held hostage in a hotel room in Ecuador, Het Laatste Nieuws reports.
Police raided the hotel room and apprehended the kidnappers, who had demanded a ransom of $500,000 (around €457,000) for the Belgian's release. Three suspects have since been arrested.
The victim was found in Manta, a coastal city home to 200,000 people, and was released from captivity on Wednesday. He is a 30-year-old Belgian, a police spokesperson confirmed, and said to have travelled to the country as a tourist. It is believed that he was detained in another place and then transferred to the hotel.
During the raid, two Ecuadorians and a Colombian were arrested. The suspects were found in possession of a gun and ammunition. Another unknown woman may have been involved in the kidnap plot.
It is still unknown exactly how long the victim was detained for.
