KOTA KINABALU: Three enforcement officers allegedly involved in a passport renewal syndicate in Sabah were detained under an Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission operation here today.
The trio in their 40s and 50s were were believed to have received RM300,000 from the syndicate since last year.
They were detained at the state MACC office under Op Fly, which followed a month of intelligence gathering by the graft-busters.
"The suspects were arrested as they were believed to have committed the acts since 2023. (And they are alleged) to have received bribes amounting to RM3,000 for every applicant.
"Initial investigations found that there were 100 applicants," said a statement from the MACC.
It said the syndicate also forged the passport recipients' signatures and manipulated the system in relation to fingerprints.
"The enforcement personnel involved handed over these passports to a middleman, while the applicants were still overseas."
Sabah MACC Datuk S. Karunanithy confirmed the arrest and said the case is investigated under Section 17(a) MACC Act 2009.
He added all suspects would be brought to court tomorrow for remand application.