Cash, jewellery, handbags: What Malaysian police seized from premises linked to ex-PM Najib Razak

KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) - Malaysian police on Wednesday (June 27) said they seized cash, jewellery, handbags and watches worth up to RM1.1 billion (S$372.37 million) from six premises linked to former Prime Minister Najib Razak in raids carried out in May.

Commissioner Amar Singh, the head of the police commercial crime division, said in a media briefing it took eight teams of more than 150 officers and external experts nearly a month to value the seized items, as the "numbers were too huge".

Below is a breakdown of the items seized:

A total of RM116.7 million, made up by 26 currencies, was seized. Police, with the help of 22 central bank officials and six counting machines, took three days to count the money, Commissioner Singh said.

A total of 12,000 individual items of jewellery were found in 25 bags.

Commissioner Singh said experts estimated the jewellery would retail for between RM660 million and RM880 million.

The items included 1,400 necklaces, 2,200 rings, 2,100 bangles, 2,800 pairs of earrings, 1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras.

The single most expensive item was a yellow-gold necklace with diamonds, valued at RM6.4 million, excluding workmanship.

Police seized 567 luxury handbags from 37 different brands, including Hermes, Prada, Chanel, Judith Leiber and Bijan.

The Hermes bags alone were valued at RM51.3 million, and police have yet to complete a valuation of the other handbags, although Commissioner Singh said some of the bags are worth RM1.6 million each.

Police seized 423 watches made up of more than 100 brands, including Rolex, Chopard and Richard Mille.

The watches have an estimated value of RM78 million.

The most expensive piece, a Paul Newman Rolex Daytona, was valued at RM3.5 million.

A total of 234 pairs of sunglasses were seized, worth an estimated RM374,000.

Brands included Versace, Gucci, Cartier and Dior.