Ukraine's Security Service on seized Scythian Gold in Spain: representative of Moscow-linked Church among detainees

The gang members who tried to illegally sell valuable Ukrainian artefacts in Spain were neutralised as a result of cooperation between the Security Service (SSU) and the Bureau of Economic Security (ESB) of Ukraine and the Police of the Kingdom of Spain.

Source: SSU press service spokesperson Artem Dekhtiarenko, ESB press service

Quote: "As a result of an international special operation in Madrid, five gang members who tried to illegally sell Ukrainian artefacts were detained. Among the detainees is a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

During the investigation, 11 stolen golden items of our country's cultural heritage worth more than €60 million were seized from the criminals.

These are precious items dating back to the VIII-IV centuries BC, including gold earrings, a pendant, chokers and a pectoral necklace."

Details: According to the investigation, the defendants illegally exported the artefacts from Ukraine to the European Union in 2014-2020.

The offenders then attempted to "legalise" the stolen cultural property under the guise of purchasing it by foreign collectors and reselling it on the black market.

Law enforcement officers gradually documented the criminal actions of the suspects and detained them red-handed while transporting the Ukrainian artefacts.

The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime and bring the guilty to justice.

The antiquities were seized and an expert opinion was obtained that they are part of the cultural heritage of Ukraine.

In addition, comprehensive measures are being taken to establish the location of all Ukrainian artefacts of the Scythian Gold that were stolen from the territory of our state, the SSU said.

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