POLICE can hold items seized in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd probe for up to one year under the Anti Money-Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA).

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the items were needed to assist the authorities in their investigations.

“I need to clarify that under AMLATFPUAA, law enforcement authorities are given a period of a year to conduct investigations into all movable and immovable assets that have been seized.

“The seizure of these items was based on fair reason, and it is believed that these items were obtained using illegally acquired funds in the 1MDB case.

“This is why all the seized items are still required by police to complete our investigations,” he told a press conference at Bukit Aman today.

Earlier this month, former prime minister Najib Razak questioned why authorities had yet to return the valuables and money seized from several properties linked to him shortly after the May 9 general election.

He said the law stipulated that seized assets must be returned if no charges were filed within three months of the raids being conducted.

Noor Rashid said police had yet to receive an official request from any party to reclaim the seized items.

“Up until now, the AMLATFPUAA task force has not received any official request from any party to reclaim the seized cash and valuables.”

He said he was confident that investigations into 1MDB would be completed within one year.

Police had raided five premises, and seized jewellery, 566 handbags, 437 watches and 234 sunglasses of various brands. They also carted away RM114 million in foreign currencies. – September 13, 2018.