SINGAPORE auction houses have sold off thousands of luxury items seized from criminals this year, from diamonds and sports cars to bird's nest worth $3,000 a kg.

The items were confiscated by government agencies following investigations into criminal activities such as credit card fraud and cross-border car smuggling.

While there is no official figure for the overall value of the haul, estimates by The Straits Times suggest it likely stretches into the millions of dollars.

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