Twenty-one people have been arrested for bribery relating to unauthorised disclosure of customer information of telecommunication service providers to debt collectors.

Eleven serving and one former employee of five telecom companies, four debt collectors, three policemen and two civilians were arrested.

The investigation arose from complaints alleging that some telecommunications staff might have corruptly leaked customer information.

One of the debt collectors arrested, who also operates a private detective agency, allegedly asked telecom employees to conduct unauthorised checks on customer details to aid his debt-collecting business. It was suspected the staff were given bribes for their assistance.

The arrested policemen, who are closely associated with the debt collector, are suspected to have accepted bribes for assisting in his private detective business.