MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the former state Customs chief was apprehended by Kelantan MACC officers while the other two were arrested at a hotel in Genting Highlands yesterday.

She said a substantial amount of money was also confiscated.

“Upon the MACC’s application, the Kota Bharu Magistrate’s Court has granted a five-day remand order against the suspects this morning.

“Further, MACC has also frozen the accounts of the said suspects, other individuals and related entities. In all, the accounts of 20 individuals and four entities have been frozen,” she said in a statement.

Latheefa had said the MACC was now focusing on efforts to combat illegal logging, mining and smuggling activities nationwide, adding that environmental issues involved public interest.

“We are in the midst of formulating strategies that involve more sophisticated methods as some perpetrators have become too comfortable carrying out such activities because they know about our system,” she had said earlier.