TechFlame reports that Lyon police in France have arrested 12 suspects allegedly involved in planning a cryptocurrency-related kidnapping last year. The arrests followed a raid by around 150 armed police and military personnel on a building near the Valence train station in the Drôme region on August 31, 2025, which led to the rescue of a 22-year-old Swiss man who had been held captive for four days. The kidnappers demanded ransom in cryptocurrency, and the victim suffered severe abuse and injuries during his captivity. Police stated that the arrests resulted from months of investigation, with approximately 20 individuals identified and implicated in the case. On the day of the operation, one mastermind and two others were arrested, followed by the apprehension of seven more individuals in early September, six of whom were aged between 24 and 30, and one under 18. Prosecutors have charged the suspects with kidnapping, unlawful confinement, organized crime, extortion, illegal possession of weapons, and conspiracy. On March 2, police conducted another large-scale operation, arresting 18 individuals, three of whom were detained. Additionally, Versailles police are pursuing three suspects who impersonated officers and robbed a couple of $1 million worth of Bitcoin at knifepoint. Between 2023 and the end of 2025, French police handled 40 cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases.