Malaysian police have begun efforts to recover and return dozens of cars believed to have been stolen in the country and smuggled across the border to Thailand.

This week Malaysian officers travelled to the border town of Sungai Kolok to inspect vehicles seized by Thai authorities there.

A total of 110 cars had been impounded at Sungai Kolok for months, the New Straits Times, a Malaysian daily newspaper, reported on Saturday.

Based on their chassis numbers, Malaysian police have so far been able to confirm that about 80% of the vehicles at the yard had been stolen, the newspaper said. They are still identifying the rest.

It is believed that the cars were reported stolen from various parts of Malaysia. Most of them were Malaysian-made luxury models.

Later this month, Malaysian police will travel to Songkhla province to inspect another 70 cars confiscated by Thai authorities.

The cars confirmed to have been stolen will be released to Malaysia once the insurance paperwork and police reports are completed. This could take up to a month or more.