Malaysia arrests 4 policemen over $1mil extortion case

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police chief Abdul Hamid Bador said four police personnel have been arrested for allegedly extorting RM3 million (S$1 million) from a businessman, in exchange to cover up a drug-processing lab in Cheras on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

Tan Sri Abdul Hamid said police are in the midst of collecting evidence and facts on the case.

"Stern action will be taken against them if the evidence points out that the police personnel were involved. There will be no compromise," he told reporters after attending an event. "We will leave no stone unturned in the case."

Mr Abdul Hamid said police have yet to recover the RM3 million extortion money.

It was reported in the Malay Mail online news that the four police officers were an inspector, two detective corporals and a corporal who were attached to the Serious Crimes division of the Selangor Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

An informed source familiar with the case said the suspects were detained at the CID office at Selangor police headquarters in Shah Alam at 9.45am on Tuesday (Feb 18).

The source said the arrests were made by a special CID team from Kuala Lumpur police's serious crimes division that acted on an extortion report made at Salak South police station in Cheras on Monday (Feb 17) by a 49-year-old Taiwanese businessman, who was earlier arrested on drug charges.

The suspects, aged between 37 and 38, are seasoned policemen, with each having more than 12 years of service in the police force, according to the source.

The source also said the Taiwanese businessman was said to have been unhappy that he and several of his friends were arrested despite "paying off" the policemen.