Poland foils cigarette smuggling operation from Belarus

Polish border guards have detained nine people suspected of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus into Poland using weather balloons.

Officials said those detained included two Lithuanians, three Poles and four Belarusians, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

During the operation, officers discovered more than 3,900 cartons of cigarettes worth over 621,000 Polish zlotys ($143,000).

An investigation is underway to identify other people who may have been involved in the smuggling operation.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov