The abduction of British businessman Colin Armstrong from his home in the province of Los Rios, Ecuador, had a happy ending after the police announced today that he has been released. Armstrong, the UK’s honorary consul in the industrial city of Guayaquil, was kidnapped by gunmen on Saturday.

He was released and is now safe, police chief Cesar Zapata announced via a post on the X platform (formerly Twitter). He also announced the arrest of nine suspects – one of whom is a national of another country – without going into further details.

The police chief said later to reporters that a Colombian woman had been kidnapped along with Armstrong before she was released in a district of Guayaquil. She thought she was strapped with explosives, which turned out to be fake.

Police have carried out more than 30 raids on suspects’ homes, finding guns, ammunition, grenades and drugs. They also seized the car allegedly used in the kidnapping.

The kidnappers’ motives were financial, police confirmed. “We will not allow impunity. The police investigation continues,” Interior Minister Monica Palencia said.

Kidnappings for ransom are on the rise in Ecuador amid rising crime mainly attributed to drug-trafficking gangs.

The release of the UK’s honorary consul in Guayaquil was welcomed by the British ambassador to Ecuador, Chris Campbell, who thanked the police.