ANTI-mafia cops are probing whether the shadowy crime syndicate known as the Black Death is behind the kidnapping of a British model.

THE Black Death group has been named as a sinister sex slave syndicate behind the kidnapping of British model Chloe Ayling.The mum-of-one, 20, has spoken of how she was drugged, handcuffed and stuffed in a suitcase while being held captive for six days after being lured by the promise of a £600 photoshoot.

Who are the Black Death Group?

The so-called Black Death group is an organisation operating deep within the “dark web” rumoured to be responsible for a network of kidnapping and people trafficking.

Although rumours of its existence have circulated for several years, the kidnapping of Chloe Ayling in Milan is believed to be the only crime authorities have publicly linked to it.

The name is notorious on sections of the internet due to the scale and depravity of its offending, though it’s not clear if its photos touting women for sale are authentic, nor if it is as proficient as it claims to be.

It’s claimed that users of the “dark web” pay huge fees to buy women who have been kidnapped from across Europe.

A 2015 article by Vice’s Motherboard stated their reporter had found images of women chained up with the victim being offered for sale £115,000.

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