Lithuanian authorities ground cigarette-smuggling balloons, eight detained

Over a two-day period, Lithuanian border guards intercepted 10 smuggled hot air balloons carrying a total of 12,300 packs of cigarettes originating from Belarus.

According to Lithuanian media, citing Gedris Misutis, an advisor to the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT), eight suspects were apprehended during this period.

“Six were detained on the first day, and two on the following day. The court has already approved one-month detention for six of the suspects, while a decision regarding the remaining two will be made shortly,” Misutis explained.

The suspects were arrested across several districts, including Vilnius, Varena, Raseiniai, and Kedainiai. On the intercepted balloons, as in most similar cases, border guards discovered GPS devices, which smugglers had used to track the cargo’s route.

According to VSAT data, 115 individuals suspected of participating in aerial cigarette smuggling have been detained in Lithuania since the start of the year.

In total, more than 1.34 million packs of cigarettes transported from Belarus via balloons and drones have been seized by Lithuanian authorities.

By Tamilla Hasanova