A valuable cargo was discovered on March 5 during the inspection of two vehicles carrying seven Ukrainians.
Hungary passed a law on the seizure of currency and valuables from the armored cars of “Oschadbank.”
The Cabinet of Ministers of Viktor Orban adopted resolution No. 49/2026 (III.9.), which directly concerns the detained Ukrainian assets. According to the document, the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary receives the right to hold the seized funds for the duration of the investigation.
The assets in question are:
- 35 million euros in cash;
- 40 million dollars in cash;
- 9 gold bars, each weighing 1 kg.
A valuable cargo was discovered on March 5 during the inspection of two vehicles carrying seven Ukrainians.
Hungarian authorities claim that at the inspection site, the carriers could not provide convincing evidence of the money’s origin, their final destination, or the legal grounds for the transit.
The resolution notes that the “method of transportation did not comply with customary international practice,” prompting the initiation of a criminal proceeding.
Official Budapest went beyond the usual customs procedure, stating that the circumstances of transporting such an amount of assets could pose a risk to Hungary’s national security. The investigation will determine possible connections of the carriers with “criminal organizations.”
According to the document, the assets will remain under the control of Hungarian authorities for 60 days from the date the resolution comes into force. The document has already been officially published and is in effect.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called the actions of the Hungarian authorities banditry.
When asked why partners mostly remain silent on the situation, Zelensky added: “Europe needs one thing today: not to remain silent,” noting that he communicated this to his international contacts in discussions with them.
Thus, the incident with Ukrainian couriers and the assets of “Oschadbank” raises not only legal but also political questions in the relations between Ukraine and Hungary.
On the night of March 6, it became known that Hungary unjustifiably detained two armored service vehicles of “Oschadbank” and seven Ukrainian citizens, employees of the cash-in-transit team. The Ukrainians were carrying out regular transport of foreign currency and bank metals between “Raiffeisen Bank Austria” and “Oschadbank Ukraine.” The vehicles carried $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kg of gold.
Minister of Construction and Transport of Hungary János Lázár stated that the capture of Ukrainian couriers and the money was a response to the temporary blockage of the “Druzhba” oil pipeline by Ukraine.
