Foreign-plated Mercedes leads police on Christmas morning chase through Budapest –⁠ video

A dramatic police chase happened in Budapest in the early hours of Christmas Day after a driver attempted to flee a routine police check in the city centre. The pursuit ended on the Megyeri Bridge, where officers managed to stop the vehicle and detain all three occupants. Authorities later confirmed that drugs were found during the operation, and all those involved now face criminal proceedings.

What happened in Budapest early on Christmas Day?

According to information released by Hungarian police, officers attempted to stop a car at around 5 AM on 25 December on Rákóczi Road near Astoria. Despite clear instructions to pull over, the driver ignored police signals and continued driving, which prompted officers to give chase using sirens and flashing lights.

The speeding vehicle, later identified as a foreign-registered Mercedes, was followed across several districts of the capital before police successfully blocked its path on the Megyeri Bridge. Officers forced the car to stop and detained the 28-year-old driver along with two passengers.

Identity checks reveal outstanding warrants

During identity checks, police discovered that one of the passengers, a 26-year-old woman, was wanted for a minor offence, while the second passenger, a 27-year-old man, was the subject of multiple arrest warrants issued by Hungarian courts.

A search of the driver and the vehicle revealed further serious violations. Officers found a syringe containing a liquid suspected to be narcotics on the driver, who was also found to be driving without a valid licence. Additional suspected drugs were discovered hidden in the sock of the male passenger. The substance, a white powder weighing 13.1 grams, is believed to be an illegal narcotic. Police later confirmed that this passenger was the registered owner of the vehicle.

All three test positive in rapid drug screening

Rapid drug tests carried out at the Óbuda police station returned positive results for all three individuals. As a result, officers ordered biological sampling for further analysis. Investigators from Budapest’s 3rd District Police Headquarters questioned the driver and both passengers as suspects on charges of drug possession.

Police also established that the vehicle was displaying licence plates that did not belong to it. Due to this violation, the car’s owner now faces additional charges, including misuse of unique identification marks, alongside drug-related offences. Based on an existing court-issued arrest warrant, the male passenger who owned the vehicle was taken into custody.

• High-speed police chase ends in tragedy in Budapest

Traffic offences to be investigated separately

Authorities confirmed that traffic-related offences committed during the chase will be investigated in separate proceedings. No injuries were reported during the pursuit, and police have not indicated that other road users were directly endangered, though the incident occurred on one of Budapest’s major traffic routes.

Footage of the chase has since been released (watch above) and circulated online, showing police vehicles pursuing the car through the capital before bringing it to a halt on the bridge.