Police have arrested suspects in connection with a dramatic shootout and robbery at the country's main airport which left five injured in a hail of bullets.

The thieves, who ambushed two money changers and their security guard outside the departure hall, escaped with more than RM3.5 million in cash in the incident which highlighted Malaysia's rising crime rate.

musa hassan pc 021107 thinkPolice chief Musa Hassan said four suspects, who were found with firearms, were arrested in three separate raids on Friday in Johor, state Bernama news agency reported.

Musa said police confiscated cash worth RM779,622 in Malaysian, Singaporean and American currencies in the raids and seized five automatic pistols as well as handcuffs and bullets.

The robbers allegedly stayed overnight in a budget hotel in Sepang, where the airport is located and then fled south to Johor.

Arm patrols in KLIA

In the April 9 incident, five victims, including the changers and their armed security guard, were shot by several robbers as they were transporting cash to an outlet on the fifth floor of the airport.

A Nepalese bystander and an off-duty policeman were also caught in crossfire which lasted for five minutes before the armed robbers escaped with 1.5 million Singapore dollars in cash.

More than 50 bullets were littered along the driveway of the departure hall, which was also strewn with shards of broken glass from large panels that were shattered by gunshots.

Following the shootout, Malaysian police have introduced armed patrols of the main airport's departure and arrival halls around the clock to provide extra security.