MACC has arrested Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali's nephew and three others over their alleged involvement in the illegal mining of sand and gravel in the state.

NST Online reported that the suspects have been remanded for seven days until Dec 6 to facilitate investigations.

The report claimed that MACC investigations showed that the sand mining firm had allegedly bribed local government officers in Kajang, where the company has been operating since 2014.

“It was understood the officers were allegedly bribed to not to take action against the activities,” said NST Online.

Earlier, an MACC source confirmed with Malaysiakini that Azmin's nephew was one of those arrested.

Clad in "Lokap SPRM" orange T-shirts, NST Online reported that the suspects, including two company directors, one site manager and an advertising agency employee, covered their faces as they were escorted out of the court by MACC personnel.

The suspects, aged between 34 and 67, were arrested in a special operation which started at 10am yesterday.

Earlier, Bernama reported that the commission froze RM4 million in several accounts belonging to one of the companies.

"The investigation team inspected several lorries, suspected of loading illegal sand, in an operation mounted at 10am and several accounts owned by the company, with RM4 million in them, were also frozen.

"The suspects were detained to facilitate investigations into illegal sand and gravel mining activities at a location in Kajang since 2014," a MACC source told Bernama.

MACC investigations department senior director Simi Abdul Ghani confirmed the arrests.

Malaysiakini has contacted the Selangor Menteri Besar Office's strategic communications director Yin Shao Loong for comment and is awaiting his response.