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
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja grateful to Macron and France for supporting free BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityNine countries join EU sanctions on Belarus’ IzovacThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics
- Economy
- EconomyCentral bank’s net assets decrease in MayThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- EconomyBelarusian companies’ debts rise by nearly 15 percent in a yearThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCash in circulation rises by 2.9 percent in JuneThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- PoliticsBelarusian ruler’s office remains antagonistic toward French leaders despite high-level contactsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsLaw enforcers harass exiled writer Filipienka over his studies at EHUThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyCatholic priest jailed for 15 daysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights groups identify seven new political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyViciebsk region’s official, three executives convicted of corruptionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyAntimonopoly ministry does not rule out reinstating price controls on delisted goodsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityIrregular migration rises month on month, but short of last year’s numbersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLithuania sends another team to help Latvia patrol border with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy



