Searches at "Gorbushka": law enforcement officers shut down a network of illegal crypto exchangers
Large-scale operational measures continue for a second day at the legendary Moscow market "Gorbushka." According to my information, the investigative actions are related to the activities of underground digital currency exchange points that were based directly on the territory of the shopping complex.
Law enforcement officers are working in the pavilions and service areas of "New Gorbushka" — as the indoor complex "Gorbushkin Dvor," located in the building of the former "Rubin" plant, is called. According to preliminary data, large sums of cash, documentation, and electronic equipment have already been seized on site. Part of the territory is cordoned off, employees of illegal services are blocked inside the premises and are giving testimony on the spot. There is no official information about detainees yet.
Systematic crackdown on the market
This is not the first operation of this kind recently. A week earlier, the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs shut down the operations of nine illegal exchange offices in the "Moscow-City" business center, detaining more than 20 people. It then emerged that Ukrainian call centers used these platforms to launder funds stolen from Russian citizens. The investigation opened criminal cases on fraud on an especially large scale.
It is noteworthy that the searches in "Moscow-City" took place just three days after the signing of the law on basic cryptocurrency regulation. The main provisions of the document come into force on September 1, 2026, and existing businesses have been given a transition period until July 1, 2027. It is obvious that the authorities intend to strictly control the process of legalizing the industry, and "Gorbushka" is just another target in this systematic crackdown.
My analysis: The market is finally entering a phase of real law enforcement. Until now, many participants operated in the "gray" zone, counting on the inertia of regulators. Now it is clear: the transition period is not an amnesty, but a time for voluntary legalization. Those who fail to adapt to the new rules risk not only their business but also their freedom. I recommend that all operators of exchange services immediately bring their activities into compliance with the upcoming legislation.