KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission will obtain further information from the Defence Ministry following the arrest of security force officers linked to a smuggling syndicate.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki (pic) said the action involved five Malaysian Armed Forces officers, including two former Army and Navy personnel serving as intelligence officers.
He said the probe concerns the obtaining of security and smuggling information, adding that the Armed Forces Chief has expressed support for the MACC to investigate the case.
“Of course we will go to Mindef to obtain more information and several confidential reports on those involved. We will dig deeper,” he said.
“We will not allow them to get away with illicit money,” he told reporters during the MACC Chief Commissioner’s Roundtable Conference Programme on Thursday (Aug 14).
He said the officers are alleged to have leaked information to criminals engaged in smuggling activities, and added that this constitutes a corruption issue.
Azam then said that the five arrested officers were mostly of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, in addition to five civilians.
“Further investigations will continue and we will call the relevant witnesses,” he said.
Earlier, Sinar Harian reported that through Op Sohor, the Intelligence Division with assistance from the Anti-Corruption Tactical Squad succeeded in crippling a smuggling syndicate.
He said senior Armed Forces officers operating in the south of the country led the syndicate.
Five senior military officers and five civilians, including an Indonesian national aged between their 30s and 50s, were arrested around the Klang Valley.
He said the arrests began at 6.30 am on Wednesday.
The officers are believed to have colluded with the smuggling syndicate for the past five years.
They are suspected of having amassed about RM3mil in bribes.
All the suspects are believed to have received bribes of between RM30,000 and RM50,000 for each smuggling trip.
The case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009.
