How many Swatch watches were seized and what was their value?

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172 Swatch Watches Valued at RM64,795 Were Seized

A total of 172 Swatch watches, with an estimated value of RM64,795, were seized by Malaysia's Home Ministry. These watches were part of Swatch's Pride collections and were confiscated during nationwide raids on Swatch stores in May 2023. The seizure occurred across 11 different stores, involving nine distinct designs from both the 2023 Pride collection and previous collections sold in Malaysia since June 2022.
Seizure Occurred During Nationwide Raids

The Home Ministry's enforcement officers conducted raids on 16 Swatch stores between May 13 and May 15, 2023. From these raids, 172 watches were confiscated. The watches seized featured designs linked to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights movement.
High Court Ruled Seizures Illegal

On November 25, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled that the Home Ministry's search of Swatch stores in May 2023 was illegal because it was conducted without a warrant. Consequently, the court determined that the seizure of the 172 Pride watches during these raids was also unlawful. The court ordered the return of all seized watches within 14 days.
Watches Returned Following Court Order

The Home Ministry returned all 172 seized Swatch watches to Swatch Group (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd on December 9, 2023. This action complied with the High Court's order, which stipulated the return of the watches within 14 days of the November 25 ruling. The deadline for the return was indeed December 9, and the watches were collected by Swatch Group on the same day.
Ministry Did Not File Stay Order or Appeal

The Home Ministry and the government did not file a stay order to halt the execution of the High Court's decision to return the watches. Furthermore, as of December 17, no appeal had been filed at the Court of Appeal against the High Court's ruling. The deadline for filing such an appeal is December 26, 2023, taking into account the public holiday on December 25.

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How many Swatch watches were seized and what was their value?

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