Hungary detained a former SBU general and Oschadbank cash couriers with millions of dollars in a money-laundering case

Hungary says that cash-in-transit guards from Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank, along with two of their vehicles carrying cash in euros and dollars and also gold, were detained in a money-laundering case.

Local media reported this, citing Hungary’s tax and customs authority (NAV).

Among the seven detainees is a former SBU general who was responsible for managing the cargo. The Hungarian side seized two armored Oschadbank cash-in-transit vehicles which, according to the bank, were transporting $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold from Austria to Ukraine.

NAV confirmed that the vehicles were intended to carry valuables from Austria to Ukraine, but did not explain why or in what context suspicion of money laundering arose from these actions. According to NAV, in just over the first two months of this year, more than $900 million, €420 million, and 146 kilograms of gold bars were transported.

NAV said the money-laundering investigation is being conducted in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code with the involvement of the Counter-Terrorism Center.

Hungary says it informed Ukrainian law enforcement about the detentions but received no response.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry demanded access to the detainees. The ministry also urged Ukrainians to refrain from traveling to Hungary due to the detention of the cash-in-transit guards, which Kyiv regards as a kidnapping.

“Due to the abduction of seven citizens of Ukraine and the theft of property belonging to a state bank in Budapest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that citizens of Ukraine refrain from traveling to Hungary because it is impossible to guarantee their safety amid arbitrary actions by the Hungarian authorities,” the ministry’s statement said.

As a reminder, Kyiv has also called the detention of the cash-in-transit guards “state terrorism.”

As media have reported, relations between Kyiv and Budapest are currently extremely tense. Yesterday, at a meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky threatened to give Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s address to the Ukrainian Armed Forces if Orbán continues blocking a €90 billion loan for Ukraine.