Malaysia: Biggest seizure in history – New Straits Times
PHOTO: New Straits Times
“Items included 423 watches worth 78 million Malaysian Ringit, including the most expensive one, a Rolex Paul Newman Daytona worth about 3.5 million Ringit. (1 Malaysian Ringit = ~8 Thai Baht)
PBS English is reporting that up to 1.1 billion Malaysian Ringit (about 9 billion baht) worth of cash, jewellery, luxury handbags and watches, as well as sunglasses have been seized from residences and offices linked to former Malaysian prime minister Najib Tun Razak in the ongoing investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), making it the biggest seizure in Malaysian history, according to The Star newspaper.
But speaking to on-line news website Malaysiakini the former premier insisted that the items are mainly gifts and some others were purchased. He also said his wife doesn’t believe the valuation will come up to that amount.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Amar Singh said the collective value of the items seized was estimated at between 900 million and 1.1 billion Malaysian Ringit, the paper reported.
“Of course we are shocked. I think this is the biggest seizure in the country’s history,” he told reporters at the CCID headquarters yesterday.
“They include Seri Perdana, an office (in Putrajaya), three units at Pavillion Residences and his (Najib) personal home in Langgak Duta,” Comm Amar said.
He added that more than 12,000 pieces of jewellery, including 2,200 rings, 1,400 necklaces, 2,100 bracelets, 2,800 pairs of earrings, 1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras, were among the items seized.
“The most expensive item is a yellow and brown diamond necklace, which has a value of at least RM6.4 million (52 million baht), “ he said.
He said the police were in the process of determining whether some of the items were presented to Najib as gifts.
