Five men have been charged in connection with a blackmail investigation in Waltham Abbey.

Essex police charged the men following the execution of warrants in Sun Street, Waltham Abbey, and north London on Saturday, June 6.

Paolo Frangiamore, 50, from Sun Street, Waltham Abbey, has been charged with blackmail, ABH, possession of Class A drugs, unlawful imprisonment and possession of an imitation firearm.

Siyar Yetik, 19, of Hertford Road, Enfield, has been charged with conspiracy to blackmail, assault casing actual bodily harm and false imprisonment and he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Saturday 13 June.

Irfan Comooglu, 39, from Sussex Way, London, has been charged with blackmail, ABH and unlawful imprisonment.

Ozan Avci, 20, of Huntingdon Road, Lower Edmonton, and 19-year-old Mirkan Kahraman of Hawkesmead Close, Enfield, have been charged with conspiracy to blackmail, false imprisonment and ABH.

Avci has additionally been charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

All five men will appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday, July 6.

A 20-year-old woman from north London was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to blackmail and she has since been released on bail until Sunday, June 28.

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