Malaysian police confiscated 72 bags of cash and valuables, as well as nearly 300 designer handbags from two apartment units linked to former prime minister Najib Razak on Thursday (May 17) night.
Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Amar Singh told reporters that the seizure was part of an operation that started on Wednesday, in connection with an ongoing probe into sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Behad (1MDB).
He said the police have since Wednesday raided six premises around Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the official residence of Mr Najib, and four private residences linked to him.
“This is one of the three premises at the Pavillion Residences Apartment being checked by the CCID,” Datuk Seri Amar said, adding that the total value of the seizures are still being calculated.
“We don’t have the details on the total amount. A lot,” he added, not discounting the possibility of similar operation in the next few days.
Mr Amar was tight-lipped about the owner of the unit, but would only say it belonged to a “Tan Sri”. He also declined to reveal if the three units raided belonged to the same person.
The police team confiscated 284 designer handbags — including Hermes bags — and 72 suitcases containing various currencies of an unspecified amount, watches, and jewellery.
Documents related to 1MDB were also seized from the Prime Minister’s Office, he confirmed when saying a total of six separate locations were searched.
Mr Najib’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, is known for her predilection for the exclusive Hermes bags and is rarely seen without one in public.
Meanwhile, Mr Amar stressed that his men conducted themselves professionally the entire time, rejecting claims that the operation here and the one still ongoing at Mr Najib’s mansion was tantamount to “harassment”, as alleged by the former prime minister’s lawyer.
“This is a high profile case and as such we need sufficient time to conduct our investigation. I assure you, my officers have executed their duties with the utmost care,” he said.
When asked if police encountered any interference in the course of their investigation, Amar said no.
Seperately, investigators have been trying to drill into a 20-year-old safe in Mr Najib’s home, after the key could not be located.
-Agencies
