Police seized 72 designer handbags stuffed with foreign cash from Malaysia’s former prime minister as part of investigation into a global financial scandal

AP Photo

• Police seized 284 boxes from properties linked to Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak.
• The boxes including designer handbags filled with Malaysian and US currency, watches, and jewelry.
• The raids were part of an investigation into the scandal-plagued state investment fund 1MDB, which Najib set up in 2009 and allegedly siphoned off billions of dollars.
• Najib lost power last week in an historic election that led to the opposition alliance leading Malaysia for the first time in history.

Police have seized 284 boxes of luxury handbags, some stuffed with foreign cash and jewelry, from properties linked to Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The prime minister’s popularity started plummeting in 2015 when nearly $ 700 million from a state investment fund was reportedly found in Najib’s personal accounts. Last week, he lost his office in an unprecedented election that saw Malaysia’s first ever transition of power to the opposition alliance, with new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad saying he expects to soon charge Najib over a global financial scandal.

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