Jakarta. Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency has arrested the head of the Banjarmasin Tax Service Office in South Kalimantan as part of an ongoing bribery investigation, officials said on Wednesday.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) confirmed that Mulyono Purwo Wijoyo was among three people detained on suspicion of accepting bribes.

KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo said the two other suspects include a civil servant and a businessperson, though their identities were not disclosed.

Investigators seized about Rp 1 billion in cash from Mulyono as alleged evidence of bribery, Budi said.

The case is believed to be linked to manipulation of value-added tax (VAT) refunds in the plantation sector, involving payments to tax officials in exchange for reducing refund amounts. Budi declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.

“In the tax refund process in Banjarmasin, there are indications of value manipulation and bribery involving related parties,” he said.

Separately in Jakarta, several customs officials are also being questioned over alleged bribery, although investigators have not released further information.

Wednesday’s arrests mark the second series of operations targeting tax officials so far this year.

Last month, three officials at the North Jakarta Tax Service Office were detained on allegations of accepting bribes from a mining company in exchange for lowering the firm’s tax liabilities.

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