An ICAC spokesman today (Wednesday) confirmed that in a joint operation with the Police, 20 persons have been arrested yesterday by the ICAC and the Police for alleged corruption and perverting the course of public justice.

In the ICAC operation code-named " Thunderpeal ", 17 persons, including a Detective Sergeant, a Detective Senior Police Constable, and three Detective Police Constables, were arrested.

Also arrested in the ICAC operation were two suspected members of a triad society and two of their associates, an operator and five keepers of two vice establishments, as well as two women who are holders of two-way permits.

Four of the arrested police officers were alleged to have accepted advantages from the suspected triad members for protecting their illegal activities, while the remaining one was alleged to have corruptly provided advice to a defendant of a police prosec ution.

One of the Detective Police Constables arrested was also alleged to have accepted bribe payments from the operators of two vice dens in Mongkok for providing tip-offs for police anti-vice raids, and retrieving personal data from police computers.

Assistance has been obtained from the Immigration Department in respect of the two arrested women suspected to have breached their conditions of stay.

Of the arrested persons, three were apprehended by officers of the Kowloon West Regional Headquarters of the Police in connection with their investigation into a suspected offence of perverting the course of public justice.

Inquiries are continuing.