Detention of collectors – Szijjártó accused Ukrainians of transporting money of the “military mafia”

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that Budapest is demanding explanations from Ukraine regarding the transportation of significant amounts of cash and gold through Hungarian territory.

This was reported by the Hungarian state agency MTI.

According to the Foreign Minister, the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Service is investigating the case of possible illegal money transportation. Szijjártó called it a “shocking crime.”

He claims that since the beginning of the year, about $900 million and 420 million euros in cash, as well as 146 kilograms of gold bars, have allegedly been transported through Hungary.

Szijjarto said that the Hungarian authorities have a number of questions about these shipments. In particular, Budapest is interested in why banks are using cash transportation rather than bank transfers, and why the route was through Hungarian territory.

The minister also stated that the transportation is being accompanied by people who, according to him, have connections with Ukrainian intelligence services. Because of this, the Hungarian side wants to find out who these funds belong to and what they are being used for.

Szijjártó also raised the question of whether this money is only transported through the territory of Hungary, or whether some of the funds can remain in the country and be used there.

He suggested that it could be the so-called “money of the Ukrainian military mafia.”

The Hungarian Foreign Minister stressed that Budapest demands immediate answers from the Ukrainian side to these questions. According to him, the Hungarian authorities will continue a thorough investigation of this case.

As previously reported, Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga said that Hungarian authorities in Budapest detained seven Ukrainian citizens — employees of Oschadbank — and seized the money they were transporting.

We remind you that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Ukrainians refrain from traveling to Hungary.