It has now been confirmed that five men, who have been accused of extorting 5,500 baht from the owner of a grocery in Bangkok’s Sai Mai area a few days ago, are officials of the Excise Department, according to the department’s director-general, Ekniti Nitithanprapas.

According to Ekniti, all five have been suspended from active duty and a fact-finding committee has been set up to investigate claim.

The owner of the grocery has filed a complaint with Bang Khen district police, claiming that the five men, identifying themselves as excise officials, entered the shop for a search and claimed they found counterfeit cigarettes on the premises. He also provided CCTV footage of the incident to the police.

The five men demanded 5,500 baht from the grocer in exchange for dropping the contraband possession charge against him.

Bang Khen police superintendent, Pol Col Anan Worasart said today (Saturday) that he will summon the five excise officials to acknowledge the extortion charges and to be identified by the grocer.