BJJ player kidnapped in Rio, by police

Jason Lee, a devoted BJJ student from New Zealand currently living in Brazil, reports he was kidnapped men in a police uniform, and forced to withdraw money from ATMS.

Lee offered details on his social network.

https://twitter.com/jasonleejitsu/status/757287544463749121

I’m not sure what’s more depressing, the fact this stuff is happening to foreigners so close to the Olympic Games or the fact that Brazilians have to live in a society that enables this absolute bulls*** on a daily basis, he wrote on Facebook.

I was threatened with arrest if I did not get in their private car and accompany them to two ATMs to withdraw a large sum of money for a bribe.

This place is well and truly f***ked in every sense of the word imaginable.

https://twitter.com/jasonleejitsu/status/750337758581981184

During happier times, in February, Lee was interviewed by Stuff NZ about what it was like to live in Rio.

“I’ve been living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 10 months,” he began. “I decided to pack up my life and move here to pursue my dream of being a professional athlete and training Brazilian jiu-jitsu full-time at one of the best gyms in the world.”

“I would have to say the greatest advantage would be the weather, which is amazing almost all of the time – even during the winter it’s hot enough to go swimming at the beach. Also the cost of living is much lower than New Zealand. There are obvious disadvantages, such as crime and personal safety but I would urge this isn’t a big enough problem to discourage people from visiting.”

A spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade pointed reporters to its advice section.

Reports of express kidnappings in Brazil are common in major cities. This is when criminals abduct a victim for a short amount of time and force them to withdraw funds from their bank account.

To reduce the risk of this occurring we recommend you use ATMs that are located in public places during daylight hours or ATMs located within bank branches.

While the crime rate in Rio is real and terrible, the city is as well a mecca for combat sports, beauty, and wonder.