Raid on "Gorbushka": law enforcement uncovered a network of illegal crypto exchangers
The Moscow market "Gorbushka" has become the epicenter of a large-scale law enforcement operation. For the second day now, searches have been ongoing at the legendary shopping complex, which, according to my information, are directly linked to the activities of underground digital currency exchange points.
This concerns the "Gorbushkin Dvor" complex, commonly referred to as "New Gorbushka." It is there, in the pavilions and service areas, that illegal exchange services were reportedly located. Law enforcement officers have already seized large sums of cash, documentation, and electronic equipment. Part of the territory has been cordoned off, and employees of the illegal services are blocked inside the premises and are being questioned on site. There is no official data on detainees yet.
Two "Gorbushkas" and a systematic crackdown
It is important to understand the structure: "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 building of the Rubin plant in the 2000s. The searches are taking place specifically at the second complex. According to preliminary information, the exchange offices had been operating there for several years, and now the capital's law enforcement agencies are handling them.
This is not an isolated case but part of a systematic crackdown on the shadow market. Just a week earlier, the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs shut down the activities of nine illegal exchange points in the Moscow City business center. More than 20 people were detained at that time. According to investigators, Ukrainian call centers used these platforms to launder money stolen from Russian citizens. Criminal cases have been opened for fraud on an especially large scale.
Notably, the searches in Moscow City took place three days after the signing of the law on basic cryptocurrency regulation. The main provisions of the document take effect on September 1, 2026, and existing businesses have been given a transition period until July 1, 2027.
My analysis: the actions of law enforcement are a clear signal to the market. The state is not just formalizing the rules of the game but is actively burning out gray schemes before the new law takes full effect. Businesses that want to remain in the legal field need to urgently reconsider their operational models, otherwise the next searches could take place in their offices.