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POZIRK+Lithuania arrests six over cigarette smuggling from Belarus
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Lithuania seizes ten out of 25 cigarette-smuggling balloons
October 6, Pozirk. Lithuanian authorities have found ten of the 25 weather balloons that flew in from Belarus over the weekend, BNS reports, citing Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Center.
Law enforcers arrested individuals who were allegedly going to pick up smuggled cigarettes transported by balloons, LRT said, citing the official.
Investigators are still searching for the suspected gang leaders.
At least 26 air balloons flew into Lithuania and Poland on the night of October 5–6. Most of them ended up in Lithuania, forcing Vilnius Airport to suspend operations. Disruptions affected about 30 flights and 6,000 passengers.
The detected balloons were carrying 12,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes.
Smugglers often use balloons to send cigarettes from Belarus to the European Union.
Suspected contraband balloons disrupt Vilnius Airport, affecting 6,000 passengers
October 5, Pozirk. A “series of air balloons” that flew into Lithuania on the night of October 5–6 forced Vilnius Airport to suspend operations, according to its website. Information about the balloons was received at about 10:16 p.m. To ensure …
