The ICAC has arrested 18 persons, including two directors of a cleaning services company, for alleged bribery in offering workers continuous employment with the company.

Also arrested in an operation code-named " Goldfinch ", which commenced yesterday, were two district managers, one foreman and four cleaning workers of the cleaning services company, as well as seven subcontractors and two of their employees.

The case arose from a number of corruption complaints, alleging that staff of the cleaning services company might have solicited and accepted monetary advantages from workers for ensuring continuous employment.

The cleaning services company was earlier awarded cleaning contracts by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).

ICAC enquiries revealed that the arrested district managers and foreman had allegedly solicited and accepted monthly bribe payments from a number of cleaning workers for keeping them on.

Inquiries also revealed that the arrested directors had allegedly defrauded FEHD by subcontracting the FEHD contracts to other individuals through various tiers of subcontracting, without the prior approval of FEHD.

As a result, workers who were employed for these jobs were exploited as the wages they received were less than that stipulated in the original FEHD contracts.

FEHD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.

Fifteen of the arrestees are being detained by the ICAC, while the remaining arrestees have been released on bail.

Inquiries are continuing.