KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — A police officer was among four individuals arrested for suspected involvement in extortion in Brickfields here on Monday.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said preliminary investigations showed that the suspects had resorted to tactics used by gangsters to extort money.

"They operated like gangsters and we want to see which gangsters,” he told reporters after a high-profile policing programme at the Pavilion shopping centre here yesterday.

Mazlan said the police took a serious view of this matter and are investigating the case under Section 385 of the Penal Code for extortion.

"He (officer) should not have done that because police should be protecting the people. Appropriate action will be taken against the officer involved and we are investigating,” he said.

It is understood that the suspects had demanded for a sum of money to protect a construction site in Brickfields. — Bernama