Taipei - Taiwan prosecutors Friday arrested five prison guards and three brokers for allegedly smuggling in forbidden items in return for payments by inmates.

"We are seeking the district court's approval for the detention of the eight for alleged corruption," said district prosecutor Chen Hsin-hung.

The guards, who worked at the Taipei Detention Centre where former president Chen Shui-bian was held on charges of corruption, allegedly accepted bribes from inmates to smuggle in forbidden items, he said. If convicted, they could face a maximum of life imprisonment.

Asked if there was any illegal activities between the ex-president and those guards, Cheng said investigators had not found such activities so far. Chen has been detained at the centre since late December on charges of embezzlement, accepting bribes, money laundering and other offences.

Quoting unnamed judicial sources, local news media said some guards demanded "handling fees" of 5,000 Taiwan dollars (148 US dollars) per carton of cigarettes and
10,000 Taiwan dollars per porn magazine. A bottle of liquor would cost as much as 20,000 Taiwan dollars. Passing messages between the inmates and their friends or relatives cost as much as 30,000 Taiwan dollars.

Chiu Yi, a parliamentarian of the ruling Nationalist Party, told reporters he had heard that some inmates even bribed some guards to allow visits by prostitutes and the women would briefly bare their chests for the prisoners to look, though they were separated by a glass window.(dpa)