Venezuelan police have arrested three people linked to the kidnapping and murder of three young brothers and their chauffeur, Justice Minister Jesse Chacon said Friday.

Chacon said that the police were pursuing two more people who could shed light on the cruel murder of the brothers, which had "made all of Venezuelan society mourn."

The boys -- John Bryan, Kevin and Jason Faddoul, who were aged 17, 13 and 12 respectively with dual Canadian-Venezuelan citizenship, were found on Tuesday, around two to three days after their deaths, with shotgun wounds to their heads, still wearing their school uniforms and huddling next to the body of their driver.

The boys and their driver had been stopped on their way to school by a group of men dressed in police uniforms on Feb. 23. Their kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 4.65 million U.S. dollars from their family after the abduction.

Venezuela's Attorney General Isaias Rodriguez said that authorities had not ruled out the possibility of police being involved in the kidnapping.

The tragic incident has intensified Venezuelans' concerns about violent crimes in the oil-rich country, where armed robberies, kidnapping and murders are frequent. Hundreds took to the streets to urge President Hugo Chavez's government to deal with crimes.

In a related development, Justice Minister Chacon said police had arrested six people from their suspect list of 10, linked with the kidnapping and murder of 74-year-old Italian-Venezuelan businessman Fillipo Sindoni, adding that the case was practically closed.

Sindoni was kidnapped close to his home last week in Maracay, 100 km west of Caracas. His kidnappers were also dressed as police.

Source: Xinhua