In response to press enquiries, an ICAC spokesman confirmed that 53 persons, including 46 chefs and a purchasing manager of various restaurants, bars and recreational clubs, had been arrested for allegedly offering and accepting bribes over purchase order s of frozen meat and vegetables.

The chefs and the purchasing manager are employees or former staff of 25 restaurants serving Western, Japanese or Vietnamese cuisines, seven bars, four recreational clubs, and a hotel.

Also arrested in the ICAC operation code-named “Barracuda” , commencing last Wednesday (May 7), were five executives and staff of a frozen meat supplier - two shareholder-cum-directors, another shareholder, an accountant, and a salesman of a supplier of frozen meat; and an operator of a vegetable supplier.

The investigation arose from a complaint alleging corruption in the catering industry.

ICAC enquires revealed that one of the arrested shareholder-cum-directors of the food supplier, with assistance from his four colleagues, had allegedly offered bribes to the chefs as rewards for them to place purchase orders or to expedite payments.

It is alleged that regular bribes, ranging from several thousand dollars to over $10,000, were paid to the chefs.

Investigations also revealed that the operator of the vegetable supplier had allegedly offered bribes to one of the arrested chefs for purchase orders.

Enquiries are continuing.