It’s official, peeps! Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Amar Singh Ishar Singh has just held a press conference today (June 27) to announce the total value of items seized at the raids on residences linked to former Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak.
According to The Star, after weeks of counting, the total amount of valuables the police confiscated from six premises including the Prime Minister’s Office, Najib’s official residence, Najib’s Langgak Duta home and Pavillion residences came up to a staggering amount. The total value is reported to be RM686.37 million but their market retail value is estimated to be between RM910 million and RM1.1 billion. OMG, so much money just stashed at home!
Here’s the list of the items seized in the raids and their respective values:
1. RM116.7 million in 26 different currencies
2. 25 bags containing 12,000 jewellery items worth RM440 million in materials alone, not withstanding the market value, which could be at least 50% more. Some of these jewellery include 1,400 chains, 2,200 rings, 2,800 pairs of earrings and 14 tiaras. The most expensive piece of jewellery was a yellow gold necklace with white diamonds estimated to cost RM6.4 million. No pink diamond was found though!
3. 567 handbags were counted and so far, 267 of the bags are estimated to cost a total of RM51.3 million from 73 brands including luxury names such as Hermes, Chanel and Bijan
4. Six bags containing 423 watches worth RM78 million including brands like Rolex, Chopard and Richard Mille
5. 234 pairs of sunglasses worth RM374,000 including brands such as Versace, Dior and Gucci
Amar Singh said the count of the items took so long because the amount was simply too much and the officers did not have the necessary expertise. They had to call in experts to value the items. The amount of cash alone required 22 officers from Bank Negara with six cash machines to count. He said it was “the biggest seizure in Malaysian history.”
As for the jewellery, the police had to take 16 days and the expert could only give them an estimated value on the cost of materials. They had to transport the seized items to a safe house for valuation and to ensure that the integrity of the evidence was maintained. All the bags and boxes were reportedly “filled to the brim”.
The raids are linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) probe and everything was seized under anti money-laundering laws. Currently, the items have been put for safekeeping at Bank Negara. However, Amar Singh also mentioned that Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor will be called in for questioning soon.
Some reporters at the press conference asked whether it was Umno’s money as the party had claimed previously but Amar Singh said that they would have to come in and give their statements on this matter if it was true.
Wow, to think that Najib and his family had so much cash and valuable items just lying around at home! And where did all these goods come from?
Also read: Here’s What Najib Has to Say About the Seized Cash & Luxury Items From 1MDB Raids