Raid in Malaysia Former PM House: 72 Suitcases with gold, hundreds of bags recovered

New Delhi : Police on Friday announced a sudden raid on the properties linked to Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak which turned up to 72 suitcases stuffed with jewels and cash. The hidden treasures took the space of atleast five trucks to get accommodated. Also, 284 boxes filled with designer handbags including Birkin bags from Hermes, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars were recovered.

For now, Najib and his wife were disqualified from leaving Malaysia in accordance of his striking loss in election and may escape legal proceedings in a massive corruption scandal.

"Exactly how much jewelry, I would not be able to say, because we know that we confiscated bags containing jewelry, and the number of jewelry is rather big," Amar Singh, head of Malaysia's commercial crime investigation unit, told reporters on Friday.

Even before the raids, Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, has been famous for enjoying luxurious shopping trips abroad. The raids were conducted as Malaysia's new government rise up its investigation of corruption charge against them.

U.S. investigators say that at least $4.5 billion was misplaced from Malaysia Development Berhad, a government investment fund that Najib supervised. It is believed that a big amount has been transferred to his personal account.

On Thursday, Najib's advocate, Harpal Singh Grewal, defended that despite the seizure of some of the belongings, police did not find any incriminating documents. Grewal also mentioned that police drilled into an old safe that no one had opened for 20 years because they had lost the key.

“The search conducted in the premises and the items seized thus far would seem of insignificant value, and the continued presence of police officers and the drilling of the old safe strongly suggest unwarranted harassment," he said.