A man who claimed to be a Customs officer was assaulted in a rage by villagers after discovering that he was the person who had been extorting money from traders in Kampung Telaga Daeng, Sebarang Takir near Kuala Terengganu yesterday.

State Crime Investigation Department head, ACP K Manoharan, said the incident occurred about 8.30pm when the 47-year-old suspect, accompanied by a 22-year-old friend, went to a grocery shop.

He said the suspect was alleged to have flashed a Customs authorisation card to an assistant at the shop and then hand-cuffed him for refusing to give RM200 for allegedly selling smuggled items.

A fracas broke out when the shop owner, aged 57, went to the shop and demanded that the assistant, who is his nephew, to be freed, he said.

“A struggle broke out and villagers who heard the commotion went to scene and began to attack the suspect, while his 22-year-old friend managed to flee,” he said when met in Kuala Terengganu.

A policeman was said to arrive at the scene earlier, but could not stop the raging villagers, forcing him to get help from a police patrol car.

Manoharan said even the arrival of the police patrol car failed to end the fracas until one of the policemen fired a warning shot.

He said the suspect sustained bruises on the face and body, but was not in serious condition and that police seized a hand-cuff, a toy pistol and a white card with a Customs Department stamp on it from him.

“The suspect’s 22-year-old accomplice was detained about 2am today at his house in Kampung Teluk Ketapang,” he added.

- Bernama