City police have thwarted an attempt by a syndicate to smuggle 18 stolen vehicles worth about RM2.07 million at an industrial area in Klang on Tuesday.

A police team found the vehicles in a godown, and initial investigations revealed they were meant to be shipped to Dubai.

A man was detained at the godown to facilitate investigations.

Chief Police Officer Datuk Mohmad Salleh said that among the vehicles recovered were a Mazda 3, two Toyota Hiace vans, six Toyota Fortuners and nine Toyota Hiluxes.

"The vehicles were reported stolen in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak and Johor," he told a news conference at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the police have sought the godown tenant, Choong Chee Keong, 40, to shed light on the vehicles.

The man's last known address was at Kampung Sungai Lekok, Jerantut in Pahang.

In another development, Mohmad said police have nabbed nine people including a woman believed to be involved in the murder of an Australian lawyer at a nightclub in Jalan Doraisamy here on Oct 4.

According to him, they were arrested in a house in Bandar Bukit Raja on Sunday.

"We believe a male suspect and the local woman were members of a secret society.

Mohmad said police were looking for three more main suspects known as Muhd Rapai Amininula @ Apai, 38, from Sabah; M. Syaifuddin Rosman, 21, of Taman Maluri, Cheras; and Mohd Fadli Saludin, 25, of Jalan Batu Sapi, Sabah.