CID chief says it took three days to count cash in 35 of 72 bags seized
Amar Singh speaking to reporters during the press conference yesterday. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The police yesterday revealed that 35 of the 72 bags seized at a luxury condominium in Jalan Raja Chulan here last Friday contained cash in 26 currencies equivalent to RM114 million.
Bukit Aman Commercial CID director Datuk Seri Amar Singh Ishar Singh said the 37 other bags contained luxury items such as jewellery and watches.
He said the police took three days from last Monday to count the money in the 35 bags, which were mainly in Malaysian Ringgit and Singapore Dollars.
“Eleven cash counting machines were used by the 22 bank officers who were involved in the process of counting the cash.
“After the money had been counted, it was sent to Bank Negara Malaysia,” he said at a press conference at Menara KPJ in Jalan Tun Razak here.
Amar Singh said the contents of the remaining 37 bags would be evaluated next week with the cooperation of experts.
“The police will cooperate with the relevant experts to determine the authenticity of the watches, jewellery and handbags, many of which are products from Paris,” he said.
Amar Singh also said that a search was conducted at 12 premises in the federal capital believed to be linked to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the probe into the 1MDB case.
He said the 72 bags seized were from a vacant luxury condominium in Jalan Raja Chulan believed to be owned by an individual who has the title of ‘Tan Sri’.
“The police conducted a search at three condominiums in Jalan Raja Chulan, two of them belonging to Najib’s children, Mohd Norashman and Noryana Najwa, and one that was vacant,” he said.
Amar Singh also said that in the search at Najib’s residence in Langgak Duta, the police seized money of various currencies equivalent to RM500,000 and luxury items such as watches, jewellery and branded handbags.
He said he did not rule out the possibility of calling up Najib’s children, Mohd Norashman and Noryana Najwa, to give statements following the search at the two condominium units.
So far, he said, statements had been recorded from 30 individuals to help in the investigation. However, he declined to elaborate.
He also said that the police had conducted their search and investigation at the residence of the former prime minister with professionalism.
“I wish to state that the police conducted the investigation as professionally as they can. I insisted that all the officers involved cannot take photographs with handphones and must ensure that they discharge their duty in a professional manner because the search was being conducted at the residence of a former prime minister,” he said. — Bernama