Searches at "Gorbushka": law enforcement officers raided a network of illegal crypto exchangers
Moscow's "Gorbushka" market has become the epicenter of a large-scale law enforcement operation. For the second day now, searches related to the activities of underground digital currency exchange points continue on the territory of the legendary shopping complex.
According to my information, operatives are working in the pavilions and service areas of the complex. This concerns "New Gorbushka" — the neighboring building popularly known as "Gorbushkin Dvor." It was there, according to preliminary data, that illegal exchange services operated for several years, serving clients in circumvention of the law.
What is happening at the scene
Law enforcement officers have already seized large sums of cash, documentation, and electronic equipment. Part of the complex's territory is cordoned off, employees of the illegal exchange offices are blocked inside the premises and are being questioned on site. No arrests have been officially announced yet, but judging by the scale of the operation, it is only a matter of time.
Witnesses say that "people in masks" appeared on the territory as early as yesterday afternoon. The complex's security confirms that service vehicles are still parked near the building. The investigative actions are being coordinated by Moscow law enforcement agencies.
Two "Gorbushkas" and a systematic crackdown
It is important to understand that the "old Gorbushka" is the electronics market near the Gorbunov House of Culture, which emerged back in the late 1980s. "New Gorbushka" is the enclosed "Gorbushkin Dvor" complex, which moved into the Rubin factory building in the 2000s. The searches are taking place at the latter.
This operation is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic fight against the shadow exchange of fiat funds for crypto assets. A week earlier, the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs shut down the operations of nine illegal exchange points in the "Moscow-City" business center. More than 20 employees were detained at that time, and investigators opened criminal cases for fraud on an especially large scale. According to the agencies, Ukrainian call centers used these platforms to launder money stolen from Russian citizens.
Connection to the new cryptocurrency law
It is telling that the searches in "Moscow-City" took place just three days after the signing of the law on the basic regulation of digital currencies. The key provisions of the document come into force on September 1, 2026, and existing businesses are given a transition period until July 1, 2027.
It is obvious that the authorities are demonstrating the seriousness of their intentions: the legalization of the crypto market will be accompanied by a harsh purge of the shadow sector. Market participants who fail to adapt to the new rules in time should prepare for the most unpleasant consequences.
My analysis: this is only the beginning. Law enforcement has clearly received carte blanche to clean up the illegal exchange business, and "Gorbushka" is just one point on the map. The P2P exchange market in Russia faces serious turbulence in the coming months, and those who do not move into the legal sphere risk not only their business but also their freedom.