Hungarian law enforcement officials administered a forced injection to one of the employees of Oschadbank, whose vehicles were detained with cash and gold. There is speculation that the substance may have been a muscle relaxant used to increase talkativeness during interrogations.
This is reported by The Guardian.
Hungary’s counterterrorism police detained seven Oschadbank employees on March 5. They were escorting two armored vehicles from Vienna to Ukraine, a route that passed through Hungarian territory as part of the regular transfer of state funds.
The Hungarian side opened a money laundering case and claimed that the funds were intended for the “Ukrainian military mafia.” State media are actively using this story in political rhetoric ahead of the parliamentary elections in Hungary.
According to the publication, the Ukrainians were detained for over a day, spending much of that time blindfolded and handcuffed, after which they were deported. Sources in Kyiv say that one of the men—a former SBU employee—was forcibly injected during this time.
Sources note that the drug may have contained a substance designed to elicit information during interrogations. Meanwhile, the man, who has diabetes, suffered a hypertensive crisis after the injection; he lost consciousness and was hospitalized.
One Ukrainian source called this a “Russian-style method,” reminiscent of the use of so-called “truth serums” in KGB practices. Another source claims that traces of the drug were found in the detainees’ blood upon their return to Ukraine.
The detainees’ lawyer confirmed that one of them was injected with an unknown substance despite his objections. A source in the Hungarian police also reported hearing about the use of the injection, though its composition is unknown.
Oschadbank stated that it could not comment on the details due to medical confidentiality, but confirmed that one of the detainees is a person with a disability who requires a special diet and regular treatment. According to the bank, he was provided with medical assistance only after losing consciousness.
The bank has filed complaints against the Hungarian authorities for abuse of office, as well as lawsuits seeking to overturn the deportation and the ban on entry into the Schengen Area. Additionally, it is demanding the return of funds that remain under Hungary’s control.