City police Chief Zulkifli Abdullah told AFP that the four, aged between 22 and 35, were arrested on Saturday, following a tip-off.

"As a result of our monitoring, we saw four Pakistani nationals acting suspiciously and followed them to a flat downtown where we found three other Pakistanis locked in the home and who were bound and gagged," he said.

"One of the kidnappers tried to escape and jumped from the third floor of the flats, ending up breaking his hand," Zulkifli added.

He said initial investigations showed the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 620,000 ring get (204,317 dollars) for the release of the three men.

"The group's modus operandi was to kidnap their countrymen who came to Malaysia to trade and do business and then seek a ransom from their relatives back in Pakistan," he added.

He said the four would be charged in court shortly after police complete their investigations into the men, who are believed to also be linked to another seven kidnappings of Pakistani nationals in the country.