Malaysia police seize luxury bags, cash and jewellery in probe of ex-PM

Malaysian police have confiscated 284 designer handbags and 72 suitcases containing cash, jewellery and other valuables as part of a corruption and money-laundering investigation into former prime minister Najib Razak.

Commercial crime chief Amar Singh said the valuables were seized in a search that began late on Thursday at apartments linked to Najib at an upscale apartment in Kuala Lumpur.

Mr Singh said the seizure was part of investigations into a corruption scandal at the 1MDB state fund, which is also being probed by the US and other countries.

US investigators say Najib’s associates stole and laundered 4.5 billion US dollars (£3.3 billion) from the fund, some of which landed in Najib’s bank account, and that 23 million dollars (£17 million) was used to buy a pink diamond necklace for his wife.

An official at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said Najib had been summoned for questioning on Tuesday as part of its 1MDB probe.

Najib, whose coalition was ousted in a stunning election defeat last week, denies any wrongdoing.

Mr Singh said the seizure included Birkin Hermes bags, cash in various currencies, watches and a “big amount” of jewellery.

He declined to say who the apartment belonged to but that the “search was conducted in relevance to our 1MDB investigations”.

He said police also conducted simultaneous raids at several other locations including Najib’s family house, his former office as prime minister and an official residence. Documents related to 1MDB were seized from the office and police were trying to crack open a safe in Najib’s house, he said.

He declined to say if the haul was enough to indict Najib. The search for evidence is ongoing, he said.

Mr Mahathir, 92, has said an initial investigation showed the scale of wrongdoing by Najib’s administration was more serious than expected.

He has said arrests will be made when there is evidence, and there would be “no deal” with Najib.

Mr Mahathir was premier for 22 years until 2003 but made a political comeback amid anger over the 1MDB scandal.

Police spent 20 hours since late Wednesday searching Najib’s house, and his lawyer said items such as handbags and clothing were taken away.

Several police cars arrived at Najib’s house on Friday morning, fuelling speculation his arrest may be imminent. Najib and his wife have been barred from travelling overseas.

Mr Mahathir has said the government will seek to retrieve billions of dollars laundered from 1MDB to repay government debts that have piled up over the years.

The government has also told the current attorney general, who cleared Najib of wrongdoing in 2016, to go on leave, and has relieved the country’s treasury chief, who is also the 1MDB chairman.

The government has set up a five-member committee, including a former attorney general and an adviser to Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority, to handle the 1MDB case.