KUALA LUMPUR – Five customs officers have been arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on suspicion of accepting bribes in exchange for releasing goods and reducing taxes that resulted in losses worth RM400 million.
Three civilians, including a company owner and a delivery agent, were also detained in an operation conducted at the airport tonight to bust a ring said to involve more customs officials suspected of these activities, a source from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said.
The case involves the alleged release of items that were not inspected and the reduction of taxes resulting in leakages amounting to RM400 million, the source told Scoop.
In exchange, the customs officers allegedly received bribes totalling RM8 million.
“There will be more arrests coming. We are actively hunting for customs officials who are suspected of being involved in this case involving tax losses of RM400 million and bribes of RM8 million,” the source said.
The five customs officers and three civilians taken in tonight are to be brought to the Putrajaya magistrates’ court tomorrow for remand proceedings to facilitate the MACC’s investigations into the operation code-named Op Samba 2.0. – March 11, 2024