Six people have been arrested after a man was allegedly kidnapped in Cardiff.

South Wales Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team launched an investigation following reports the 20-year-old being taken against his will.

The force then contacted the National Crime Agency before officers from Hertfordshire Police and The Metropolitan Police Service swooped on a number of addresses.

As as a result, three people were arrested and London and another three were arrested in Hemel Hempstead before they were brought back to Cardiff for questioning.

Five men – aged 24 to 63 – remain in custody. A 21-year-old woman has been released “under investigation”.

Confirmation of the investigation came after WalesOnline contacted South Wales Police about a large number of detectives- including scenes of crime officers – being spotted in the Roath and Whitchurch areas of Cardiff.

A force spokesman said: “We are appealing for witnesses to any suspicious activity in the Clifton Street area of Roath and Odet Court in Pendwyallt Road, Whitchurch, during the evening of Friday, December 11.

“Detectives are working with colleagues from Hertfordshire Police, the Metropolitan Police Service and National Crime Agency.

“As part of the joint investigation, a number of addresses, including a flat in Odet Court, are being examined.”

Heading up the force’s investigation is Detective Chief Inspector Mark O’Shea.

Inspector O’Shea said he was grateful to members of the public who had so far come forward with information – but there were three vehicles that could prove key to the investigation.

He said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who noticed suspicious activity in either Odet Court or Clifton Street from around 7.30pm last Friday.

“We are particularly interested in the movements of an Addison Lee courier company Volkswagen Transporter, a silver Audi Q5 and dark coloured BMW Series 3 at either of these locations.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact South Wales Police via social media direct message, by calling 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting occurrence *450215.

Police said that the 20-year-old kidnap victim was now “being safeguarded”.