Three men jailed without bail over suspected kidnapping near Andorra border

A court in La Seu d'Urgell, a Spanish town near the Andorran border, has ordered three men to be held in pre-trial detention without bail following their arrest over a suspected kidnapping.

The decision was issued by the judge assigned to Court Position 2 of the local Court of First Instance following the arrests in the early hours of Tuesday.

Judicial authorities have opened an investigation into suspected offences involving kidnapping, threats, reckless driving, bodily harm and drug-related criminal activity.

The incident came to light when officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's regional police force, were conducting a stationary roadside checkpoint.

Police noticed a vehicle making an unusual manoeuvre after its occupants became aware of the officers' presence.

The suspicious movement prompted an intervention by traffic police, assisted by the local police force.

Police discover man tied up inside car boot

A Mossos d'Esquadra traffic patrol, working alongside La Seu d'Urgell Local Police, stopped the suspicious vehicle.

During the inspection, officers discovered a man inside the boot, with his hands and feet tied and an injury to his head.

The victim was freed and taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Police subsequently arrested the three occupants of the vehicle on suspicion of involvement in the alleged kidnapping.

Court orders all three suspects held without bail

Following their appearance before a judge, all three suspects were ordered into pre-trial detention without bail.

The judicial investigation will seek to establish how the victim came to be restrained inside the vehicle and whether the three suspects were involved in the offences under investigation.

Authorities have not released further details about the victim's current medical condition or the findings of the ongoing investigation.

The criminal proceedings remain open, and all three men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

La Seu d'Urgell is located in Catalonia's Alt Urgell region, close to Andorra's southern border, making the incident particularly relevant to residents and travellers in the cross-border area.