The ICAC has arrested 10 persons, including a director and two employees of a debt collecting agency, for alleged bribery in relation to debt collection business.

Also arrested in an operation codenamed " Marksman" , which commenced yesterday, were six employees of five banks and a credit card company, and a middleman.

The investigation arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that a director of a debt collecting agency might have corruptly obtained confidential information about account holders from employees of various financial institutions.

ICAC enquiries revealed that the arrested director and two employees of the agency had allegedly offered loans or monetary rewards to six employees of five banks and a credit card company.

In return, the employees of the banks and the credit card company allegedly provided the agency with confidential information about personal data of account holders to facilitate the agency's debt collection business.

The employees of the banks and the credit card company were alleged to have conducted unauthorised checks from their employers' computers to obtain the account holders' personal data.

Over 300 sets of unauthorised check requests and results were seized from the arrestees during the operation.

The banks and the credit card company concerned have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.

Enquiries are continuing.