Abu Dhabi: Eight people, including five security personnel, have been arrested in a sting operation for abusing their authority, the Interior Minister revealed on Wednesday.

The eight suspects seized and stole money from places where some illegal residents were carrying out activities such as prostitution and liquor trading, said a statement by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The arrest is "part of our mandate, outlined by the country's leadership, to combat corruption in all forms," the minister said.

The suspects were arrested by an undercover team from the anti-corruption unit following a complaint that five Emiratis and three Asians had posed as security officers during an illegal raid on a house, which some people used as a brothel and from which they sold liquor, Colonel Maktoum Al Sharifi, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) said.

Following an investigation by the anti-corruption undercover team, formed under the instructions of Shaikh Saif, it turned out that the five Emirati men were indeed CID personnel and the three Asians were their informers, Al Sharifi explained.

Confession

After their arrest, the group confessed that they earlier raided another place and pressured some illegal residents to pay them part of the money they made tthrough illegal activities such as prostitution and selling liquor, he added.

All the suspects are aged between 19 and 24.

Shaikh Saif reiterated the ministry's and the UAE's firm commitment to transparency and informing the public about its anti-corruption efforts.

Al Sharifi said the crimes committed by the five personnel "should not affect the image of the country's security bodies, known for their honesty and dedication."