Model Kidnapped and Held in Suitcase, Man Threatened To Sell Her Online: Authorities

A 20-year-old British model was kidnapped in Italy and was set to be sold on a pornographic website on the dark web, according to the Italian State Police.

A polish citizen, 30-year-old Lukasz Herba, was later arrested and charged with kidnapping for the alleged crime.

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The woman had initially gone to Milan for a July 10 photo shoot that was scheduled for the next day, but when she entered the apartment for the “photo shoot,” she was attacked by two men, police said.

The model, whom police have not identified, was reportedly drugged, handcuffed, and held inside a suitcase after being taken hostage, police said.

“The kidnapper had demanded that the woman’s agent pay a $300,000 ransom to prevent her from being sold,” a police statement said.

She was then taken in the trunk of a car to a remote location and handcuffed to a chest of drawers, reports said.

Investigators believe the 30-year-old Polish citizen had previously organized similar online auctions in which he advertised abducted young women for sale as “prey," NYTimes reported. It is not clear whether he has kidnapped others, howebver.

The model was released after six days and was “accompanied to the British consulate in Milan,” according to police.  

Read: Inmates Documented Their Own Escape on Smuggled Cell Phone, and Posed for Photos

Police said a second man was also reportedly implicated in the crime but did not elaborate.

Further investigations are ongoing in order to "identify possible accomplices” and clarify the motive, police said. 

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