MEMBERS of a Venezuelan drug gang have taken a North Ruimveldt, Georgetown man into custody beating him mercilessly in a bid to secure $28M in drug money he is said to owe the gang.

The man was identified as 29-year-old Paul Dewever, a father of three. The man’s father, Andrew Deweever, appeared on the HGPTV Nightly News on Monday relating that he had warned his son on umpteen occasions about the risks involved with working in the drug underworld.

He opined that his son was being made a scapegoat and doubts whether he is still alive as the family cannot pay the requested sum being asked by the cartel.

Reports reveal that members of the drug gang have been making contact with the man’s wife demanding the $28M for his safe return. She is said to be in hiding.

Relatives of the 29-year-old disclosed that they did not see him in over a month, but were taken back when they received a video recording of him being tied up and beaten.

As blood dripped down his face he said: “I got to get on to my family. Yeah me family will pay the money. Uncle please send the money in two days because these people will kill me”, he said.

In the video the man was tied by his feet and his hands with a swollen face with several cuts as a masked man grabbed him by the neck with a wire strangling him, as blood dripped onto the bed he was placed on.

Reports say that he stole the money months ago in Venezuela and returned to Guyana. However, he was captured in the neighboring country upon his return.

Police said they were made aware of the report and are working with their counterparts in Venezuela to investigate the matter.