{"id":171768,"date":"2026-01-15T15:43:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T12:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/171768\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"lithuania-seizes-cigarettes-rafted-from-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/171768\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania seizes cigarettes rafted from Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \"\"\n
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\n (Lithuanian State Border Guard Service)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

January 15, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Lithuanian border guards recovered two rafts carrying cigarettes smuggled from Belarus from the River Nioman on January 15, the State Border Guard Service reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each raft contained 1,400 packs of NZ Gold cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise duty stamps, with a total estimated value of \u20ac14,532.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the beginning of 2025, Lithuanian border guards have intercepted 32 raft shipments of smuggled cigarettes. The most recent previous incident was reported on January 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the start of 2026, Lithuania has intercepted at least seven cigarette-smuggling weather balloons launched from Belarus. Law enforcers seized 24,000 packs of illegally imported cigarettes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Lithuania intercepted 635 balloons and 59 drones used to smuggle cigarettes from Belarus into Lithuania, according to the State Border Guard Service. Last year, 171 people were arrested in Lithuania on suspicion of involvement in smuggling by air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balloons have been a source of tensions between Lithuania and Belarus, prompting Vilnius to close the border for three weeks last fall and suspend operations at Vilnius International Airport on several occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cigarettes cost an equivalent of around \u20ac1 at stores in Belarus and are significantly cheaper than legally sold cigarettes in Latvia and Lithuania, where prices start at around \u20ac5. Smuggled NZ cigarettes can be bought at \u20ac2 per pack in Vilnius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius does not plan to lift state of \u201cextreme situation\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

January 15, Pozirk. Lithuanian border guards recovered two rafts carrying cigarettes smuggled from Belarus from the River Nioman on January 15, the State Border Guard Service reported. Each raft contained 1,400 packs of NZ Gold cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise duty stamps, with a total estimated value of \u20ac14,532. Since the beginning of 2025, Lithuanian border […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":171763,"template":"","rubric":[21,15],"class_list":["post-171768","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-economy","rubric-society"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLithuania seizes cigarettes rafted from Belarus | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"January 15, Pozirk. 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