Police arrest taxi driver for kidnapping Latvian professor in Tbilisi

Law enforcers have arrested a taxi driver for kidnapping a Latvian professor and another passenger in Tbilisi on Monday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said on Tuesday.

The MIA said the driver had kidnapped the passengers following a disagreement over fare, taking the two in a direction unknown to them and telling them they would only be released from the locked car after paying 500 GEL ($162/€149).

The offender allowed the passengers to exit the vehicle only after they were able to call their relatives to inform them about the incident, Formula TV reported.

The crime is punishable by seven to 10 years in prison.