KUALA LUMPUR (May 17): Several personal items such as handbags, clothes and gifts were seized from the home of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at his personal residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta here early today.

However no documents were taken, Najib's lawyer Datuk Harpal Singh Grewal told reporters after exiting the house at about 4.20 am.

He said the items were believed to have been taken for the purpose of investigation under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

"We believe (the search) was done under the Anti-Money Laundering Act," he said, adding that Najib and his family were cooperative during the search and that no arrests were made.

Police were still at the location as of 8 am.

More than 10 police vehicles, including trucks arrived at Najib's residence at about 10.15 pm last night after he returned from performing 'tarawih' prayers at the Kampung Baru Mosque.

Harpal said another of Najib's private residence, at a luxury apartment in Jalan Raja Chulan, was also a location for the police search.

Police were seen bringing out several items and boxes with unknown contents in the operations which ended at about 3 am.

Najib and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor have been blacklisted by the Immigration Department from leaving the country.

On Tuesday, new Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he expected Najib would be charged following allegations that the former prime minister syphoned off hundreds of millions of US dollars from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund.

Pakatan Harapan, chaired by Dr Mahathir overthrew the Barisan Nasional government led by Najib in the May 9 general election. - Bernama