Malaysians transfixed by luxury goods seized from ex-PM’s flat
Massive seizure of bags filled with cash and jewellery has prompted comparisons to the Marcoses, the former Philippine first family
Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, was known for her love of Birkin bags and her opulent lifestyle, but television footage of the police haul has Malaysia gasping with shock. It is possibly the most sensational image of elite corruption in Asia in the three decades since former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos and her extravagant collection of designer shoes.
Thousands of Malaysians followed a live-stream on social media of the police raid at an upscale condominium in Kuala Lumpur late on Thursday that was part of a corruption and money-laundering investigation into the 1MDB state investment fund that Najib set up that is also being probed abroad.
Police said they confiscated 284 handbags, mostly Birkins, and 72 suitcases containing cash, jewellery, watches and other valuable items that filled five police trucks from the condominium, as well as dozens of other designer handbags, cash and more valuables from Najib’s house.
The labels on some of the boxes described some of the bags as a “navy blue crocodile skin with diamond”, a “blue with diamante” crocodile skin Hermes and a grey crocodile skin Hermes. All appeared to be new and bought abroad, including in Paris and Switzerland in 2013 and 2015. Luxury publications say a Birkin can cost from US$12,000 to more than US$200,000.