The ICAC said on Friday 16 people have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the sale of illicit e-cigarettes during which bribes were suspected to have been offered.

The 12 men and four women were aged between 24 and 70.

They include workers at a local logistics firm, suspected members of an illicit e-cigarette syndicate and their family members, and staff at an online shop.

Officers seized 600 boxes of goods worth HK$20 million.

The anti-graft body's acting principal investigator, Eric Chan, said the syndicate is suspected of offering HK$20 per parcel to the logistics workers not to inspect what's inside the packages.

Officers launched an investigation following a complaint and found the syndicate is suspected to have been operating for nearly a year.

Chan noted that since the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes took effect three years ago, the firm has not been delivering them to customers.

"This company actually implemented a policy to require its staff members to inspect each and every parcel," Chan said.

"I think, in this case, it's an individual incident concerning individual staff members only."

He said the arrests were made in the middle of last month and that the suspects are now out on bail.

Advice from the Department of Justice is being sought as to what charges would be laid.