A fifth suspect has been arrested in connection with allegedly extorting MR 530,000 from a foreign worker detained by the Maldives Immigration.

Ahmed Lassaan, 40, was arrested with a court warrant on Sunday.

The first Immigration officers arrested in connection with the case were Mohamed Alsan Ismail, 21, Hassan Saheshan, 47 and Ibrahim Ahmed, 37.

The three were arrested on March 20. Former Immigration Controller Mohamed Shamaan Waheed was arrested the following night.

His wife's phone was also seized under a court order. Shamaan was fired on Thursday due to allegations of his involvement in the case.

All the suspects are accused of abusing their positions and extortion of foreign workers.

In a statement ahead of Shamaan's arrest, police said the residence of the foreign worker was searched by employees who were not involved in the designated Immigration departments.

Police said the Bangladeshi man, who was in Immigration custody, was released the next day along with the MVR 530,000 on Shamaan's orders.

The foreigner was released and the money was taken from him by immigration officials who searched his residence after meeting him on the street.

Police said the immigration officers took the money from the man and went to Shamaan's house.