A sundry shopkeeper was almost robbed by three men who claimed to be from the Customs Department, at his shop in Padang Kemunting, Batu Rakit, Kuala Terengganu, on Thursday.

In the 2pm incident, the 50-year-old shopkeeper was approached by three men who introduced themselves as Customs officers. They then started searching his shop and house nearby on the pretext of looking for smuggled goods.

Suspicious of their action, the shopkeeper called the police who immediately came and arrested the three suspects.

Terenggau CID chief ACP K Manoharan said the police initial investigation found that only two of the three suspects were Customs officers.

"One of the Customs officers is under suspension from work while the other was on leave at that time. However, both are not from the Terengganu Customs Department," he added when met at his office today.

Manoharan said the three suspects, believed to be in their thirties or forties, were being remanded for four days from the date of their arrest.

They are being investigated under Section 393 of the Penal Code for attempted robbery.

Manoharan said the suspect who posed as a Customs officer would also be investigated under Section 170 of the Penal Code for personating a public servant.

- Bernama