A police station head was among 16 individuals detained by MACC on suspicion of accepting bribes and protecting massage premises around the federal capital.

An MACC source said the suspects were believed to have accepted bribes from owners of massage parlours, and detained in 16 locations around the Klang Valley.

“All of them were detained between 10am and 5pm, following intelligence we carried out for the past three months before MACC managed to uncover the case,” the source told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The source said 40 MACC officers were involved in the raids and of the 16 people detained, seven were civil servants while nine others were members of the public.

They were detained on suspicion of protecting the syndicate concerned and accepting bribes, the source added.

The source said among the civil servants detained were oficers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Fire and Rescue Department, and the head of a police station.

“It is learnt that the massage parlours, which engaged the services of foreign women, had been raided by the Immigration Department last Saturday,” the source said.

Meanwhile, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki, when contacted, confirmed all the arrests.

- Bernama