Hungary investigates seizure of Ukrainian cash and gold

Hungary's new government has launched an investigation into the seizure of a Ukrainian bank cash transport, which was detained under the previous government on suspicion of money laundering.

Hungary has launched ​an internal investigation of its ‌tax authority, ​counter-terrorism forces and other agencies over the seizure of a routine Ukrainian bank cash transport under ‌the previous government.

Seven Ukrainians transporting $82 million in cash and gold in two armoured vehicles were briefly detained in March on suspicion of money laundering, ‌at a time when the government of Viktor Orban, an ally ‌of Russia who has since lost power, was at loggerheads with Kyiv. Ukraine's Oschadbank said its employees had been engaged in a routine operation of the kind that ⁠it ​had carried out ⁠weekly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Prime Minister Peter Magyar, ⁠who won April's election, said the prosecutor general "must address the matter without ​delay". The prosecutor general's office later said in a statement that it ⁠was taking all necessary measures and seeking to fully uncover the circumstances of ⁠the ​case, adding that "substantive" results could be expected in the near future.

Orban had made scepticism towards support for Ukraine in its war with ⁠Russia a central plank of his campaign, and vetoed new European Union ⁠sanctions on Moscow ⁠as well as a loan for Kyiv. Hungary returned the cash and gold to Ukraine days before Magyar's ‌inauguration.