Macc Nabs 10 Civil Servants Over Rm3mil In Bribes

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According to a source, the suspects were apprehended during Ops Samba 2.0 at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.PETALING JAYA: Ten civil servants have been remanded for four days on suspicion of accepting more than RM3 million in bribes from a tobacco and alcohol smuggling gang.
Putrajaya magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin granted the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) application for remand, with the order expiring on Saturday, Bernama reported.
According to a source, the suspects, aged 30 to 50 years, were apprehended along with five others during Ops Samba 2.0 at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, while giving their statements yesterday afternoon.
“The arrests were made by the MACC’s anti-money laundering (AML) division, working with the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
“All suspects are believed to have received bribes from the gang to facilitate the smuggling of chewing tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol and various other items between 2017 and 2023,” the source added.
The source said MACC had also frozen the suspects’ bank accounts.
Previously, the AML division had apprehended 11 people, including five civil servants.
It is understood that the gang’s preferred method includes using forwarding agents as intermediaries for payments to enforcement officers to “smoothen” the process of smuggling alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco, and other items without going through the declaration and inspection procedures.
The gang is also believed to be using mule accounts to pay bribes to colluding civil servants.
Additionally, the gang is implicated in money laundering using ghost company business accounts, through money changers and licensed money lending companies.
MACC AML director Zamri Zainul Abidin confirmed the remand and said the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 for giving or accepting gratification. - FMT

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