Detention of Ukrainian cash collectors in Hungary. What is currently known
6 March 14:04
The Hungarian government has announced plans to deport seven Ukrainian cash collectors who were previously detained by employees of the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Service. This was reported by Hungarian government spokesman Zoltán Kovács, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to him, the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration has identified seven Ukrainian citizens detained in connection with the transportation of large amounts of cash and gold through Hungary.
“The authorities have established that the operation was led by a former general of the Security Service of Ukraine, and his deputy was a former major of the Ukrainian Air Force, who was assisted by individuals with military experience. Based on these findings, all seven individuals will be deported from Hungary,” Kovács wrote.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that the collectors were detained in Hungary because they could have been transporting money belonging to the Ukrainian military mafia. However, he did not provide any evidence to support this claim. Budapest is now demanding an explanation from Kyiv, according to MTI. According to him, the Hungarian customs service is currently investigating a “shocking crime,” as Ukraine has transported a huge amount of cash and gold through Hungary over the past few months — $900 million, €420 million, and 146 kg of gold bars.
“In this regard, we have several serious questions. First, this is a huge amount of cash, and the question arises as to why Ukrainians would transport such a huge amount of cash,” Szijjártó comments on the situation. “If this is indeed a transaction between banks, then the question arises as to why the banks do not transfer funds between themselves, why it is necessary to transport such a large amount of cash, and why through Hungary.”
This money and gold were transported by people who, according to the minister, are connected to the Ukrainian special services.
“We demand an explanation as to why Ukrainians have been transporting such a huge amount of cash through Hungary in recent months. What is this money being used for, and whose money is it? ” asked Szijjártó, adding that Hungarians are also interested in whether this money is only being transported through their country or whether it is sometimes left there for “someone in Hungary” to use for their own interests. It is quite natural to ask whether this is money belonging to the Ukrainian military mafia,” said Szijjártó.
Until Ukraine answers all these questions, the minister continued, Hungarian law enforcement agencies will conduct as thorough and in-depth an investigation as possible.
Meanwhile, the National Bank announced that it was going to Hungary to clarify all the circumstances. NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy said that the mission would be led by his deputy Oleksiy Shaban, who would urgently depart on a business trip with his team.
“Ukrainian citizens will not be left alone in this situation,” Pyshnyy wrote. “We demand official information from the Hungarian authorities about the reasons for the detention of Oschadbank employees.”
Recall that last night, the National Bank of Ukraine made an official statement accusing the Hungarian authorities of illegally seizing the cash collection teams of the state-owned Oschadbank and a large amount of currency. This refers to two vehicles that regularly transported currency across the border from Austria to Ukraine.
In response, the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Service announced the seizure of cash collection vehicles and bank employees from Ukraine, stating that the detention was carried out “on suspicion of money laundering.”
It is alleged that among those detained was a former general of the Ukrainian special services who was in charge of the cargo, consisting of $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kg of gold.
It later became known that the cash collection vehicles seized by Hungarian law enforcement agencies were hidden in the Anti-Terrorist Center, according to the publication Ukrainska Pravda, citing its own sources.
At the same time, the whereabouts of the bank employees remain unknown.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga reported that Hungary has not yet granted Ukrainian consuls access to the seven Ukrainian cash collectors.
He called these actions “terrorism and hostage-taking,” and the ministry recommended that Ukrainians refrain from traveling to Hungary.
