New details emerge about death of NAV general, key figure in seizure of Ukrainian gold and cash convoy

A senior general from Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) was found dead in a shallow lake near Kaposvár on the morning of 6 March. The previous day, he had played a key role in the seizure of a Ukrainian cash and gold transport. According to investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi, the authorities suppressed the news to avoid interfering with the government’s messaging.

Authorities silent on the NAV general’s death

We previously reported that the NAV general had attended a celebration marking the promotion of Tamás Demeter, the newly appointed lieutenant general and deputy head of NAV’s criminal and law-enforcement division. Demeter had invited 106 guests, with around 80 attending, including senior NAV officials, generals, state secretaries, and at least one MP from the ruling Fidesz party.

The event took place on the night of 5 March—the same night that Hungarian authorities seized a Ukrainian cash and gold transport convoy and arrested its staff. The Hungarian government has launched a money-laundering investigation, while Kyiv describes it as a hostage-taking incident.

The NAV general’s body was discovered in a shallow lake behind the Zselicvölgy Leisure Farm. However, according to Panyi, NAV remained silent about the tragedy to avoid disrupting the government’s communication campaign on the Ukrainian convoy. Panyi noted that it would have been awkward to highlight the operation while reporting the general’s death.