TWELVE members of a criminal network were arrested last night in the longest running kidnap case the Met Police have ever dealt with.

Officers swooped on a home in Denham, as well as addresses in Liverpool and Brentford, Essex, to free a 42-year-old hostage and arrest the people involved in his kidnap.

The victim, who was snatched as he drove to work in London on Tuesday March 13, was taken to hospital with injuries to his face and upper body - but police say his condition is not critical.

Police believe he was taken because of a dispute between criminal gangs involving drugs. He was freed from the address in Liverpool last night.

One kilo of cocaine, a large quantity of amphetamine, two firearms and approximately £200,000 in cash were recovered in the evening raids.

Detective Chief Superintendent Sharon Kerr, from the Specialist Crime Directorate, said: "Officers from the Kidnap Unit are used to working in some of the toughest policing conditions, with investigations invariably involving violent criminality on both sides.

"That makes the risks extremely high and the threat to life real and constant.

"We are rightly proud of our track record when dealing with kidnaps, but we never take it for granted and no matter the background of those involved we take our duty to preserve life extremely seriously.

"In this instance not only have we saved the life of a man, but with the intelligence gained we have the opportunity to tackle an organised criminal network and reduce harm to a number of communities."

Police say they had to mobilise a kidnap unit with very little intelligence around the circumstances of the kidnap.

Searches continued this morning at all three addresses while 11 men and one woman were quizzed.