Four Civil Servants Among Seven Held in Frozen Chicken Smuggling Syndicate Bust

Malaysian authorities have detained seven people, including four civil servants, in connection with a bribery scheme involving illegally imported frozen chicken. The suspects are accused of bribing port officials in Sabah to bypass inspections for 10 containers of frozen chicken, which were imported from China and Poland.

The detentions were made by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as part of 'Op Chick,' a coordinated effort involving the Sabah State Veterinary Services Department and the Sabah Royal Malaysian Customs Department. The operation took place yesterday, leading to the arrests and the seizure of the illicit cargo.

Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin ordered the remand of the seven suspects for three days, until August 15, at the Kota Kinabalu Magistrate's Court. The case is being investigated under Section 17(b) of the MACC Act 2009, which deals with bribery offenses. MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman confirmed the arrests, underscoring the commission's ongoing efforts to combat corruption within public services and trade routes.