Detectives of the Economic Security Bureau together with the SSU officers in cooperation with the Prosecutor General's Office conducted an international special operation with the Spanish police which resulted in the seizure of Ukrainian cultural property in Madrid and detention of two Ukrainian citizens - members of a transnational criminal group and three Spanish citizens.

Law enforcement officers established that the detainees had illegally exported a significant number of items of "Scythian Gold" from Ukraine in 2014-2020, concealing them from customs control.

A variety of gold items were seized from these individuals: a medallion, gold earrings, a pendant, chokers, a pectoral, etc. The estimated market value of the items is over EUR 60 million.

These objects belong to the cultural and material values of the period of the existence of the state of "Little Scythia" which was located within the modern territory of Ukraine and in accordance with internationally recognised borders are the property of Ukraine.

Detectives of the ESBU together with the officers of the SSU and the competent authorities of the Kingdom of Spain conducted a complex of investigative measures against the members of the international criminal group. Currently, law enforcement officers have documented the actions of the persons involved in the case: clergymen of the UOC-MP, appraisers, notaries and intermediaries involved in the crime.

The seized property has now been seized. According to the conclusions of experts from the National Museum of History of Ukraine, the seized property is the cultural heritage of Ukraine. The issue of returning the cultural property to Ukraine is being resolved.

The pre-trial investigation under Part 5 Art. 191, Part 2 Art. 201, Part 3 Art. 358, Part 3 Art. 15, Part 3 Art. 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is being conducted by detectives of the Main Detective Unit of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine. The location of the rest of the cultural property and the persons involved in the crime are being established.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office in cooperation with the Office of the Attaché of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Spain in Ukraine and the International Cooperation Department of the National Police of Spain.