The abducted men were freed after a series of raids on Tuesday morning.
The men and woman, all in their 20s and 30s and from Victoria, were remanded to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
They have been charged with a range of offences including kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault, blackmail and firearms offences.
A total of 10 people were arrested in the raids, and a Winchester .30-30 hunting rifle was recovered from a vehicle.
Three men have since been released pending further inquiries.
Ecstasy tablet deal
In an out-of-sessions court hearing on Tuesday evening, police said several alleged offenders met the first victim and his accomplice at a petrol station in Noble Park, in Melbourne's southeast, on New Year's Day.
The alleged kidnappers handed over $13,000 to the pair for 1,000 ecstasy tablets.
The accomplice left with the cash, leaving the victim to wait with the buyers, but when the other man failed to return, the victim was bundled into a white Renault van.
The group took a second man hostage on January 2 while he was working to secure the first victim's release, police said.
A third man, the son of the second man's de facto wife, was later snatched while seeking the release of the men.
The first victim was released early on Tuesday to recover the missing $13,000.
Police were alerted and members of the special operations group swooped on an address in Crosby Court, St Albans, recovering the other two men.
They also stopped two vehicles in Cooper Street, Epping.
