Hungarian anti-terrorist police agents forcibly injected one of the “Oschadbank” collectors who was detained on the night of March 6. According to Ukraine, it was a relaxant designed to make the person more talkative during interrogations.
This is reported by The Guardian, citing sources in Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.
Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported that the men were held in handcuffs and blindfolded for 28 hours, and one of them, a diabetic, was forcibly administered some kind of drug — his blood sugar rose sharply and he developed hypertension.
The Guardian writes that this collector is a former SBU employee. After the detention, the National Tax and Customs Service of Hungary reported that the transportation of money was led by a former SBU general, a former major in the Ukrainian Air Force, and they were assisted by people with military experience.
According to sources, the injection contained a relaxant intended to induce the subject to talk during interrogations. Traces of the drug were found in blood tests conducted after the men returned to Ukraine.
The journalists did not see the test results and were unable to verify the claims. However, the Hungarian lawyer for the debt collectors Loránd Horvat also confirmed that “one man received an injection of unknown content, despite his denials”. A source in the Hungarian police told The Guardian that he had heard from colleagues that they had given the injection, but did not know what it contained.
According to Horvat, “Oschadbank” has filed a criminal complaint against the Hungarian authorities for abuse of office, as well as criminal and civil lawsuits on behalf of seven employees — to overturn the decision to deport them and ban them from entering the Schengen zone. The bank is also demanding the return of funds still seized in Hungary.
Kidnapping of the “Oschadbank” collectors in Hungary
On the night of March 6, “Oschadbank” reported that seven of its collectors had been detained in Hungary. The two collection vehicles contained $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kg of gold. They were traveling on a regular route between Ukraine and Austria.
European Truth, citing a source, claimed that Hungary hid the stolen cars of “Oschadbank” on the territory of the Anti-Terrorism Center. This is a security structure that is subordinate to the Hungarian Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 2025, the same center deported a Ukrainian diplomat who was suspected of espionage.
Hungary said it had detained Ukrainian tax collectors on suspicion of money laundering. Meanwhile, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, commenting on the situation, said that “the question arises whether this is money from the Ukrainian military mafia”.
“Oschadbank” responded by explaining that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, all transportation of currency and banking metals has been carried out only by land. “Oschadbank” collection vehicles perform such trips every week and have a license for international transportation from the State Service for Transport Security.
All the collectors detained in Hungary have extensive work experience — from 3 to 21 years. The valuables in the cars belong to a state bank and were transported from Austria to replenish the cash market in Ukraine.
Subsequently, the National Police of Ukraine initiated criminal proceedings into the kidnapping of Ukrainian citizens and the company car of “Oschadbank”.
On the evening of March 6, all seven collectors were deported and returned to Ukraine.
On March 10, the Hungarian government passed a special resolution — following the seizure of $40 million and €35 million in cash and nine 1-kg gold bars from “Oschadbank”. The countryʼs National Tax and Customs Service will hold them until the investigation is complete.
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